Shifting Sands
by RoyalBlue13
Summary: Though the Tablet and Ahkmenrah have been back at the Museum of Natural History, Larry knows that his time as night guard is over. But when he hears on the news that the sand in Egypt is turning black, he decides it's time to ask Ahkmenrah if he knows anything about it. Now, Larry, his museum friends and Ahkmenrah's family have to head to Egypt before an ancient enemy can return.
1. Chapter 1

New York City was known for a lot of things: Coney Island, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, pizza,-

"Come _on! _It's a green light, moron!"

...And traffic. Lots and lots of city traffic.

Larry Daley slammed his car horn for what felt like the thousandth time. "Move it! What are you waiting for?!" A cacophony of other horns blared behind him. Larry rolled down his window and yelled to the driver in front of him. "Learn how to drive, granny! Green means _go!"_

The driver poked his head out of the car. Larry's anger melted into pure adult fear in less than two seconds. The other man's face was _covered _in tattoos, a few of which were clearly human skulls. His eyes were bright and almost glowed. His hair was disheveled and matted. Frankly, he looked like a maximum-security convict mixed with a very ugly gorilla.

"Hey man," the driver said in a deep, gravelly voice. "That's really uncalled for."

"...Uh...sorry…"

"There's no need to be like that, you know. I was on the phone with my daughter. She's gettin' a _divorce_. 'Scuse me if I didn't see the light change."

"Yeah, no, I get it," Larry said quickly, trying to get out of the situation alive. "Sorry to hear that."

"Thank you. Apology accepted. You have a nice day."

The two men stuck their heads back into their cars and a moment later, Larry was back on his way. He took a deep breath, his hand tapping anxiously on the wheel. It had been a rotten day and all he wanted to do was order a pizza and sit on the couch with the TV. _Which I can't do, _he thought, _because I have a ton of papers to grade before Friday. _

He'd been a teacher for a few years now at the Ella Baker School in Manhattan. He _loved _his career, and his fifth-grade class was really great...most days. But this day had not been "most days". _This _day had been full of one kid punching another at recess, one teacher who thought he wasn't doing a good job, two other children who decided to draw on the bathroom walls, and an entire stack of homework that needed to be graded on the passenger seat.

Scratch that. Make than on the floor _under _the passenger seat. Larry had braked hard to let an inattentive biker go by, causing the mountain of paper to topple. "Oh, come _on. _Can this day get any worse?!"

In that moment, pigeon poop splattered onto his windshield

He gripped the steering wheel so hard, his knuckles turned white as he held in a scream. Furious, he drove a little above the speed limit and turned down another road. It took him a minute for him to realize he wasn't supposed to turn yet. Grinding his teeth, he was about to turn around, but paused.

_...I'm really close, _Larry thought. _I guess...I guess I could just go look at it. For old times' sake. It might make today a little better. _He took a deep breath and continued down the street. _I'm not going inside. I'm just sit in the car and try to relax for a minute. _

In no time at all, Larry pulled to the side of the road and parked the car. Outside his window stood a tall, white building with four long pillars on top of the staircase. At the top of edifice were three words etched into the walls: TRUTH, VISION, and the main one, KNOWLEDGE.

The Museum of Natural History.

He sighed. It had been years since he'd stepped foot into the building. He hadn't gone in since he'd quit the last time. Larry had thought about it at times, of course. But he knew he couldn't do that. There would be a different nightguard in his place. It was hard not to go inside sometimes, especially since Ahkmenrah and his Tablet had returned around a year ago. But he knew his days at the night guard were...well, history. The museum had changed him, taught him a lot of lessons. And Larry liked to think he did the same for the exhibits who lived there. But now, they had parted ways and moved on.

He leaned on his door, reminiscing, the horrors of the day beginning to leave. He could almost hear Rexy's triumphant roar as he chased after a small, speeding car, Jedediah at the wheel. He thought about Teddy and wondered how he was fairing with Sacagawea. Larry even found himself laugh a little, remembering loud-mouthed Easter Island head and his obsession with "gum gum". And just like that, his bad day melted away. All he could think about was how many good times he had in that museum.

_I wonder, _Larry thought as he pulled into his apartment parking lot. _If they think about me as much as I think about them?_

* * *

The first thing he always noticed was his breathing. Or rather the fact that he was _able _to breath. He could feel his chest slowly move up and down as his lungs filled with air. Which there honestly wasn't much of in the small space.

Ahkmenrah opened his eyes. All around him was complete and total darkness. His breathing started to quicken as fear consumed his mind again. _It's going to work, _he told himself. _Stop panicking. It's worked every time since Larry and Nick released you that night. Just open it up and get out. It's as simple as that._

He reached out into the black, his hands shaking a little. They pressed against the cold, smooth sarcophagus lid and the young pharaoh started to lift it. His mind couldn't help but remembered all those years when he would try to open it, and nothing would happen. All the years where he was locked up, screaming, banging his head on the lid to no avail. Even though so much time had passed, part of him was always afraid it would happen again.

The lid started to budge, and he saw light peek through the small crack. Ahkmenrah couldn't help but sigh with relief as he pushed it off. It clattered to the floor with a loud bang as he sat up. On the walls were hieroglyphics of jackals or images of Ra, one of the Egyptian Gods. Climbing out of the sarcophagus he gave a little smile to the two twenty-foot jackal guards looking at him._ "Everything is alright," _he told them in Egyptian. _"No need to worry."_ They nodded solemnly and returned to their posts.

A thunderous roar echoed through the museum, making the pharaoh jump a little. _I really should be used to Rexy by now, _he thought. _Sounds like everyone else is up._ _The nightly party will probably begin momentaril_y. He walked out of his exhibit and towards the Hall of African Mammals, as he did almost every night. When he got to the staircase, a voice made him pause.

"Pharaoh," Dr. McPhee said loudly, marching towards him. He had bags under his eyes and slightly disheveled hair. "Can I speak with you?"

"Of course, Doctor," Ahk told him respectfully. "How can I be of assistance?"

"I'm assuming you're headed to the Hall of Mammals?" Now that the shorter man was in front of him, the young pharaoh thought he could use a shower. He nodded in agreement. "Well, allow me to save you the trip and let you know your little monkey friend already ran off somewhere," the curator told him. "But, please do me a favor. When you see him, tell him he owes me a new jacket." McPhee pointed to a dark stain on his chest that looked very recent.

Ahkmenrah cringed a little. _Dexter… _"I'm very sorry about that. I'll make sure to address it." _Again._

"You're the only one he seems to listen to. Can't you train him or something?"

It was true, Dexter and Ahkmenrah had formed a strong bond. Ever since he'd been released from his tomb, he and the capuchin had gotten along very well. He'd always had a fondness for animals, and Dexter….well, no one really knew why, but he'd always been very nice to the pharaoh. Almost every night, he would ride around on Ahk's shoulder like a pet parrot. "I'll see what I can do. Again, I'm very sorry about that. Perhaps some warm water would take the stain out?"

McPhee seemed to consider the suggestion for a second. "I'll try it. At the very least, it might do something for the smell." He wrinkled his nose. "Thank you, Pharaoh."

"Is there anything else I can do for you? You look very tired."

McPhee rubbed the side of his forehead. "Believe me, I passed 'tired' a long time ago. It's killing me having to work both the day shift _and _the night shift. I'm still not having any luck finding a replacement for your...what was it you called him? Protector of Brooklyn?"

Ahk laughed a little. "'Guardian', actually."

"Right, right. My God, if I knew how hard all of this was to run, I would've let up on him. You would think I'd get better at it after almost a year now."

"You're doing just fine, I assure you."

"The dinosaur keeps knocking into things with its tail, the monkey pees on me, the lions tried to _eat me _the other day, and I swear, if that crazy cowboy crashes another remote control car, I'm going to just, just, I don't know what I'll do, do you know what I mean?" he asked in his British accent.

Ahkmenrah nodded, though he honestly had _no idea _what he man had been trying to tell him. "Perhaps I'll have a chat with Jedediah after I find Dexter."

"Could you? That'd be a great help. I swear, if I can't find a new night guard soon, I'm going to lose my mind."

"I'm sure someone will come along, Doctor," he assured. "Have a nice night."

"The same to you, Pharaoh." The two started to part ways, but something in Ahkmenrah's mind was nagging at him. He gave in and turned back around. "Doctor McPhee?" The man looked over his shoulder. "When you find a night guard...you'll make sure they won't...I mean, I'm not going to…"

Even though he couldn't finish the sentence, McPhee seemed to understand. He turned to face the pharaoh again, his expression softening. "Of course not. No one's locking you up again, I'll make sure of it. You don't have to worry about that."

Ahkmenrah smiled and gave him a nod before leaving once again. _Of course, I don't have to worry, _he told himself. _Even if someone did try to do that again, I'm sure Teddy or someone would let me out. _He knew that was true. They'd all promised long ago that they'd never let that happen to him again.

And yet every night he could never fight the fear that the lid to his sarcophagus wouldn't open.

The young man wandered around the museum, now knowing that Dexter wasn't in the Hall of African Mammals. _He just can't stop causing trouble, can he? The poor Doctor has enough to worry about without him causing mischief. We really need a new night guard around here. But I suppose the Tablet does make it rather hard to find someone to fill the position. How many people in New York are qualified to watch over a living history museum?_

His thoughts were interrupted by the high-pitched sound. Sure enough, Ahkmenrah spied a small, black car racing down the hall. _Jed. _He quickened his pace and stuck his foot in front of the car's path, forcing it to stop.

"Whoa, whoa," the miniature cowboy said, looking up at him. "What gives, Ahk?"

The pharaoh arched a brow. "You know very well 'what gives', Jedediah. You are becoming quite a hectic driver. Really, how many of these have you crashed in just this month alone?" He got down on his knees to hear him better. That, and he knew Jedediah didn't enjoy being "talked down" to.

"Two, at most."

"Liar, liar," began Octavius the Roman General from the passenger seat. His helmet was sitting in his lap since he wouldn't be able to fit in the car with it on. "You've destroyed four and you know it."

"Nu-uh!" the cowboy defended. "The one that got crushed by the mammoth don't count. And who's side 're you on?"

"The factual one," Octavius told him. "And I wasn't counting that one. Even without it, you wrecked four cars: the red one, the yellow one, the blue one, and then the striped one last week."

"...Oh yeah. I liked that one," Jed muttered. He looked back to Ahkmenrah. "Well, it ain't all my fault. Lotta things in the museum 're bigger than these cars. They break real quick."

"I'll admit, they are rather fragile," Ahk said. "But you cannot deny that you're a bit of a speed demon. You cannot blame all four cars on their size."

"...A'right," Jed rubbed the back of his neck. "Maybe I been goin'...a lil' crazy."

"A little?" Octavius asked.

"Hey, back off, Octy. You can't even drive."

"I could if you let me. It can't be that hard."

Ahkmenrah cleared his throat to regain their attention again. "All I'm asking is that you be a bit more careful. Doctor McPhee has enough to worry about and frankly, asking him for a new car every other week is not helping."

"Yeah." Jed frowned a little. "Things seemed to go a helluva lot smoother when Gigantor was her, huh, Ahk?"

His mind went back to the years Larry Daley was night guard. "Yes, they did, didn't they? The poor Doctor's stretching himself too thin doing both shifts. But it's very hard to find someone to take a job like this, it seems."

"Indeed," Octavius chimed. "Not everyone can be trusted with the secret of your Tablet."

"...Well...try to be a bit more cautious, alright, Jedediah?" Ahk asked. "I'm a bit worried Doctor McPhee is nearing the end of his rope with you."

"No worries, Ahk. I'll take it slower."

"Thank you. Oh, and you haven't seen Dexter around, have you? He urinated on McPhee's jacket this evening."

"Yeah, actually. Jus' a lil' bit ago by the cavemen. Not sure if he's still there, but you could try it."

"Thank you again. You two have a nice night."

"Anytime, amigo."

"And a good evening to you as well, my liege."

The two miniatures drove off, noticeably slower this time, and Ahkmenrah made his way to the caveman exhibit. He could hear their eager chants and stomping feet from down the hallway. _Oh Ra, I hope they didn't figure out how to make fire. That would be disastrous! _He jogged over to the exhibit, worried about what he might find. Two of the Neanderthals were hopping around, making loud, "Oooh, ooh, ooh!" noises. The third one, who Ahkmenrah recognized as Laa, was making..._Shadow puppets?_

Yes, he realized. Laa was making shadow puppets on the wall of his exhibit, thanks to the lighting in the room. No fire, no chaos, just three easily entertained cavemen and...a capuchin!

Ahkmenrah saw him on Laa's back, looking for bugs in his hair. "Dexter," he called. "Come here."

The small mammal looked at him and gave a toothy smile. He jumped off of Laa - who was too busy making a shadow bunny to notice the pharaoh or the monkey - and scampered over to him. He skillfully crawled up onto his shoulder as he did nearly every night. "I've been looking for you," he said, walking away from the cavemen. "And I heard you already had a very eventful evening." Ahk glanced at the animal, who made a sad sound and looked to the floor. "You're making things rather hard for Doctor McPhee, you know. The man has enough to worry about. He does not require a cleaning bill on top of it."

Dexter looked back at him and made small chattering sounds.

"Yes, yes, I'm sure you're very sorry. Why can't you just be a good little monkey? You always behave for me. Can't you do the same for Doctor McPhee? Or at least do your business somewhere else? Perhaps in a potted plant?"

Dexter was quiet before nodding a little. Or at least Ahkmenrah took it that way. He wasn't totally sure Dexter could understand him, but he certainly acted like he did. "Very good. No more peeing on McPhee, or you might find yourself locked up for the night. Understood?" More monkey chatter. "Good."

They walked along for a while, Ahkmenrah talking to the capuchin about whatever came into his mind. The nice thing about having friends that couldn't add to the conversation was that they were very good listeners.

"Good evening, Ahkmenrah," called a female voice. He looked over to see a woman in a bright colored tribal dress with dark, braided hair resting over her shoulders.

"Good evening to you as well, Sacagawea." He smiled. "Are you not going to join in tonight's festivity?" He could hear the loud music blaring from down the stairs. _If memory serves, Columbus should be DJing tonight. _

"No, I've been looking for Teddy," she explained. "Would you and Dexter care to join me?"

"Why not?" They began to walk side by side. "You know, he's probably looking for you as well."

"Yes," she agreed with a laugh. "Perhaps we should just pick a spot to meet up every night rather than walking around aimlessly until we find each other."

"That might work. Dexter, leave her braids alone. That's no way to behave around a lady."

They searched for Teddy Roosevelt together, making small talk along the way. Over the years, the two had discovered they had a lot in common. For example, both of them were unreasonably contained before Larry had freed them. Ahkmenrah was in his sarcophagus and Sacagawea was trapped behind sound-proof glass with only the bickering Lewis and Clark for company. Also, both of them had long names that people had trouble speaking and spelling. Sacagawea had always very been very kind to the young pharaoh and was always very easy to talk to. He considered her one of his closest friends, along with Dexter, Teddy, Jed and Octavius, and Rexy. Maybe even Attila to some extent.

Larry and his son Nick were on that list as well at one point. But he hadn't seen either of them since they had allowed him to stay in London with his family. That had been nearly four years ago. He'd stayed in London for three years with his parents and Sir Lancelot, but after a while, he realized he missed New York. That was when Tilly the British night guard had arranged from himself and the Tablet to be brought back to the city, and...well, here he was.

None of them knew what happened to Larry, but Ahkmenrah and the exhibits hoped that whatever he was doing now, wherever life had taken him, he was happy. As for Nick...Ahkmenrah missed him very much, actually. He had become very close with the young boy over the years and he almost felt like an older brother to him.

They were back on the lower lever of the museum now, having used the elevator this time. A few of the exhibits had figured out how to use it. "So," Sacagawea continued. "Lewis told Clark that if that was the way he felt, he could-"

"Hey Dum Dum!" shouted the Easter Island Head, a wad of pink gum between his lips. Ahkmenrah and Sacagawea looked at him, "Oh, sorry. _Pharaoh _Dum Dum. President Dum Dum tell me to say that if me saw you Dum Dums to say he was by the Hall of Miniatures."

"Oh," he said. "Well, thank you." _I'm not sure if I should take being called "Pharaoh Dum Dum_" _as an insult or just a very strange nickname. _He decided to let it go as they started walking again towards the Hall. "What were you saying?"

"...I'm not sure," Sacagawea admitted. "Lewis and Clark argue so much, I don't remember which one I was telling you about."

As they approached the entrance to the Hall, they saw Teddy Roosevelt petting his large, brown horse, Texas. "There you are, my dear," he greeted Sacagawea. "I knew that loud-mouthed Easter Island Head would get the message across. You know, perhaps we should just have a set meeting place."

"I was just thinking that on the way. Why not right here?"

"Works for me." Teddy grinned. He finally turned to the other two. "Hello, Ahkmenrah, Dexter. I heard someone peed on Doctor McPhee."

"Yes, we had a chat about that." The pharaoh eyed Dexter again.

"Well, other than that, what've you been up to?"

"Not much. I had a little conversation with Jed about his car crashing habit...I meant little as in it was short, not as in Jedediah is small."

Teddy laughed a little. "Yes, I noticed he's been doing that often. It would be a different story if we made him come up with the money for a replacement."

For the rest of the night, the three of them - plus Dexter and Texas - sat on the floor, Sacagawea leaning on Teddy's shoulder, and talked together. These were the moments Ahkmenrah loved the most. The times where he found himself surrounded by his friends, laughing and sharing stories. In times like this, everything just felt so peaceful.

He wished it could last forever.

**A/N: **Hi! Thanks for reading! I hope I've got you hooked because this is going to be quite an adventure if you stick with me. I don't know how I got into this fandom, but I promise I am not leaving any time soon. I hope you enjoyed the first bit here and, as always, any favorites, follows, or comments are very much appreciated. Thanks again!


	2. Chapter 2

"Have a nice day, sir," said the overly-friendly Starbucks woman. Larry gave her a halfhearted grin and drove out of the drive-thru. His eyelids were heavy, and he was struggling to put two thoughts together. By the time he'd finally stopped grading papers, the sun was peeking through the curtains in his apartment. As usual, his alarm woke him up too soon.

The morning dragged on as Larry explained division to his class. _They're behaving a lot better today, _he realized. _Maybe they're as tired as I am. _Finally, it was one of the best parts of the day: lunch. Larry sat back down behind his admittedly cluttered desk and grabbed the blue bag from under it. He set out his turkey sandwich and bag of Fritos, then grabbed his cell phone. Larry leaned back in the chair as it started to ring, once, twice, three times-

_"Hello?"_

"Hey, Nick." He smiled. "Just making sure we're still on for later."

_"...Uh...what?"_

His face fell a little. Larry had been looking forward to seeing his son all week. With his job and Nick having moved out, the two didn't get many chances to see each other. To say he wasn't a little sad that he forgot would be a total lie. "Dinner. You're still coming over tonight, right?"

_"Oh, yeah, yeah! Um...aww crap…"_

"Is something wrong?" he asked. "Look, Nick, if you made other plans, it's ok-"

_"No, no, I'm still coming. Don't worry. Just uh...what time did you want me there again?"_

"Well I don't get home till around three thirty so four thirty would give me time to cook."

_"Four thirty...yeah, okay. Okay, that's fine. Right, I'll see you then."_

A feeling was rising up inside of his stomach. A feeling all fathers knew well. _He's not telling me something. _"Are you sure you're okay? You sound really jumpy."

_"No, I'm fine. Really, it's all good, Dad."_

He decided not to press. "Okay. Guess I'll see you later, man."

_"Yeah, a'right. I'll see ya."_

"Love you."

_"Hmm? Oh, yeah, love you, too, Dad."_

And within the next second, his son had hung up.

_That was...weird, _Larry thought as he set down his phone. _Why was he so panicky all of a sudden? Did he just feel bad 'cause he forgot he was coming over? He _really _wanted to get off the phone. And he was hesitating a lot. _He took a bite of his sandwich. Some of the mustard smeared on his cheek. _Guess I'll just see what's going on when he comes by._

* * *

Larry yawned for what must've been the twenty-thousandth time as he finally pulled into the parking lot in front of his apartment building. _Why did I plan lasagna? That's gonna take forever. Why didn't I suggest going out somewhere or just calling in some pizza? _But deep down, he knew it would be worth it when Nick saw he'd made his favorite food. Larry saw his son so little now, he wanted to do that for him.

He shut the car door but froze for a minute. A few parking spots away was a gleaming, brand-new looking motorcycle. _Aww, great. If they ride that around all night, I swear...God, I'm starting to sound like a grouchy old man. I really need some sleep. _He glanced at the watch. It was quarter to four. The ever-present traffic had once again succeeded in making him late. _I really gotta get going on dinner. Nick's gonna be-_

His train of thought came to a screeching halt as he opened the door to the hall. A boy who looked to be in his early twenties was leaning against the wall on his cell phone. He was dressed in a dark blue hoodie, torn jeans, and sneakers. His hair was short and dark brown. "...Nick?" Larry asked.

He looked up from the phone and quickly put it in his back pocket. "Hey, Dad." Nick walked over to him and Larry found himself in a hug. "Good to see you. It's been a while."

"Yeah, I know, it's crazy," he mumbled. They broke apart and he gave the boy a confused look. "Why are you so early?"

Nick gave him the same look. "...Early? I, uh, I thought you said be here at three thirty."

"No, I said I get home at three thirty. That's why I told you to come an hour after that so I could have dinner ready when you showed up."

"...Oh. Oops."

Again, that feeling rose up in Larry's stomach. _What's going on with him? We're gonna have to talk over the lasagna, something's definitely up. _

"Well, I'm here now." Nick shrugged. "Can I help with dinner?"

"Uh...yeah, I guess." He unlocked the door to apartment 112 and walked inside. "Sorry, I was gonna clean up, but you know, that didn't happen."

"No, it's fine. Looks a lot better than my place, trust me," Nick admitted, following him into the small kitchen.

"Yeah, how's that going? Living on your own?"

"Pretty good. The landlord's kinda a pain, but what can you do, y'know?"

"Alright," Larry glanced down at the recipe, "if you wanna get out the ricotta and mozzarella, we can get this started."

"What are we making?"

He fumbled around in a cabinet and grabbed a saucepan. "Well it was gonna be a surprise, but it's lasagna."

"Aw, awesome! You didn't have to do that."

"Sure I did." He grinned. "I barely see you now."

"Yeah, it's just getting hard to find time. But I got it all handled."

"No, I know you have a lot with work and everything. It's not easy to juggle everything. Hey, how is work?"

His son looked toward the counter.

"...Nick? Is there...something going on or...?"

"Yeah, umm...about the work...I uh...I don't actually...do that...anymore."

Larry froze, the egg in his hand almost slipping. "What?"

"Yeah, I uh...got fired, actually. Like a week or two ago."

"What do you mean, fired? What happened?" He stopped everything to look at his son straight on. "You told me everything was going okay."

"Well my boss let me go because he thought I was comin' in late too often."

"Well, were you?"

"No, he was a jerk, okay? He was just exaggerating so he'd have a reason to get me outta there."

"...Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I figured it wasn't a big deal. I thought I would've found another one by now and it wouldn't matter."

"Nick, being unemployed kinda qualifies as a big deal. You have _rent _that's gonna be due, I mean-"

"I'm gonna find one soon, okay?" Nick snapped. "Look, can we just make this thing? I'll tell you over dinner if you really have to know."

Larry decided to stop and wait until the lasagna was cooking. They both got back to work as Larry started to stir the cheese and eggs together in a bowl. He tried to think of anything to change the subject. "Hey, uh...you see that bike when you came?"

"Uh, no. Must've pulled up after I got in here."

"Looks almost new. I wonder if that guy down the hall got it. You know, the one that's balding? I don't know, everything about him just says 'midlife crisis' to me." He laughed a little, but for some reason, Nick didn't. He was focused on browning the meat on the stove it seemed. Just the pale look on his face made Larry's paternal instincts go crazy. His stomach flipped. But he had no idea why.

He went back to stirring the bowl. Slowly, just like the ingredients, the thoughts in his mind started to come together. Why Nick was so early, when he'd clearly said to come at four thirty…

He set the spoon down but didn't look at Nick. "...It's yours...isn't it?"

"Is, uh, is what-"

"Nick, don't lie," Larry told him flatly, turning towards him. "The motorcycle. You bought it." It wasn't said as a question anymore.

After a moment, Nick's eyes fell to the floor. "Yeah."

"That's why you showed up early, and why you were so squirrely on the phone. You didn't want me to see you ride up on it, so you got here before I did."

"...Yeah." Apparently, that was all he could say.

"Nick, why didn't you just tell me instead of...wait...did you buy it before you got fired? Or after?"

That didn't get any kind of answer at all.

Larry's eyes widened. "Nick, what are you thinking?! You can't buy something like that after you lose your job. Do you even have a license for that thing?"

"Of course, I do, Dad, _God," _Nick shouted, his head snapping up. "This is why I didn't want you to know! I knew you wouldn't get it."

"Get what? I'm not understanding why you would do something like this! I mean, you, you've got no income, rent to pay, school to take care of, and you spend thousands of dollars on a bike!"

"Look, Alexa likes guys with motorcycles and-"

_"Alexa? _Jesus, Nick, you can't be telling me you did this just because of your girlfriend."

"I'm gonna get another job, alright?!"

"What the _hell _are you thinking? You think your girlfriend will think you look cool on your motorcycle? How cool are you gonna look when you get evicted?!"

"That's not gonna happen! I'll get another job!"

"You're not thinking things through, Nick. My God, I really thought you were more responsible than this. What do you think you're even doing?!"

"I'm an _adult. _If I wanna use _my _money to buy a motorcycle to impress _my _girlfriend, then I'm gonna do it!"

"You may be an adult, Nicholas, but you're acting like a_ child!"_

"You keep t_reating me _like one! You always call and make sure I'm doing this and that, like you don't trust me! Well you know what?" Nick stuffed his hands into his pockets and started to walk out of the kitchen. "I'm twenty-two and I don't need you to stand her and read me list of everything I'm messing up on." He watched his son grab his keys and head for the door.

"Nick-"

The door slammed shut, nearly causing a photo on the wall to fall. Larry stood there for a minute as he listened to a motorcycle get farther and farther away. He then stomped back into the kitchen and looked around. The beef was burned and totally inedible by now. _Of course! _he fumed. It went straight into the garage along with the mixture in the bowl. _So much for a nice dinner with my responsible, mature son. All he turned into was an irresponsible kid who is officially too big for his britches._

He let out an exhausted sigh, wiped down the rest of the kitchen, and then picked up the phone. "Hi, Bleecker Street Pizza? I need to place an order for delivery."

About thirty minutes later, Larry was sitting on his couch with a few pieces of pepperoni and mushroom, watching the news. An overly peppy news lady with clearly fake blonde hair was giving a report. _"Thankfully, the shih-tzu recovered quickly after being rescued from the fire."_

He wasn't really watching it at all though. All he could do was sit there and think. No matter what, his mind kept going back to Nick. _One second, I think everything's going great with him, and the next he's storming out of my apartment. I can't believe he bought a _motorcycle _just to impress his _girlfriend. _I mean, yeah, every guy does something stupid for a girl, but...that's thousands of dollars! And after he just lost his job! "My boss exaggerated." I can't believe I fell for that. With the way he acted, I wouldn't be surprised if he was late to work a lot. _

_What the heck happened to him? He's always been so down to Earth, what is he thinking? Since he was a kid, he always had his priorities straight. I just...I don't get it._

_"Meanwhile, in the Mediterranean," _the news lady continued. _"It appears that some of the desert sand in Egypt is turning_ black."

Larry plummeted back into reality. _What? _

_"And according to this, it seems to be spreading." _A few photos showed a small pool of sand that was as black as shined church shoes. It grew larger and larger with each new picture. _"No one knows exactly why this is happening at the moment, but the most popular theory is global warming."_

He almost choked on a bite of pizza. _Global warming? That's like, polar ice caps melting, not hot, desert sand changing colors. That doesn't make sense at all. _The news woman went into another story about traffic violations going up since last year, but Larry had again, totally blocked her out. Something just wasn't sitting right with him.

_That doesn't sound...normal. Something's going on. But apparently no one knows what it is._

_I wonder if maybe...Ahkmenrah..._

Over the years, Larry had thought of many excuses to go to the Museum of Natural History, but this one was different. This one, he was going to act on.

* * *

"Put me down!" Jedediah shouted, kicking his boots. "I don't like to be manhandled!"

McPhee was holding the small cowboy by the back of his shirt. He didn't look pleased at all. "Can you honestly not go one night without causing chaos? Just _one?"_

"Aw, quit exaggeratin'! It wasn't that bad."

"You got the tyrannosaurus to chase around your car, causing him to almost damage _several _valuable artifacts!"

Jed rolled his eyes. "So the big guy got a little excited. He wouldn't be so crazy if yeh'd _play _with him from time to time. He's lonely!"

"This is not about the dinosaur; this is about _you _and your insistence on making my job difficult." McPhee placed him back in the Western Diorama. The sand crunched under Jed's black boots. "It must be at least every other night, I've got to talk to you about these things."

Jed crinkled his nose. _I _hate _bein' talked down to like this. Darned McPhee's just gotta ruin everything. _

"If it's not busting up a remote-control car, it's you and your little Roman accomplice causing some kind of nuisance."

"It's called _fun, _McPhee," he told him sharply. He crossed his arms across his chest. "If you'd learn how to have some of it, we wouldn't have ta do this all the time."

"For your information, I have fun quite often," McPhee nagged, copying Jed's pose. "When I can, I play a game of solitaire in the office, sometimes I watch _Dancing with the Sta- _th-that's not the point! If you were not seemingly _hell bent _on breaking my museum, this wouldn't happen!"

Jedediah stuck his tongue out at the man, maturely.

McPhee's face was turning pink. "You are honestly the most_ insufferable_ little pain in this entire museum! I'm at the end of my rope! I'm _this close _to just, just, I _swear, _I'm going to-" The curator finally stomped one of his feet and pointed a furious finger at him. "You are to stay here for the rest of the night. And I'm taking _this-" _He waved the small, black car in his other hand, mockingly. "And locking it in the office for the rest of the week."

"Have fun walkin' there with that stick up yer keister!" the cowboy shouted. But McPhee was already walking out of the Hall of Miniatures.

Jed sighed and sat on the edge of his diorama. _Damn McPhee. I wasn't try'na bust anything. I was just helping Rexy get some exercise. Wouldn't have had to do it in the first place if he'd _play_ with the poor guy. _He sat there for a while, alone. Most of his men were enjoying the evening. One could hear a pin drop in the large room of silence.

"Hail, Jedediah!" called a familiar voice. He looked down and saw Octavius shouting up to him. "Throw down the rope! I wish to talk to you."

Though he didn't really feel like having company, Jed tossed down the long rope they used to get back to their spots at night. With minimum effort, the Roman climbed up and was soon sitting next to him. "I heard Doctor McPhee cut your night short. Would you care to explain?"

"I swear, Octy, he's got it in for me," Jed told him. "Everything I do makes him angry."

"Well, what happened tonight?"

"I got the car and was runnin' Rexy around. He got excited and that enormous tail o' his almost busted up some vases 'er somethin'." He stared at his boots. "Wasn't tryin' ta cause trouble, just thought he'd wanna play a little."

"Yes, Rexy had seemed a bit down lately, hasn't he?"

"Cause McPhee won't do nothin' with him!" He'd finally turned and looked into his friend's eyes. "Poor fella's bored outta his mind. McPhee don't care, though. He don't care 'bout any of us."

"Now, hold on," Octavius said firmly. "That isn't true, and you know it isn't. Yes, he is a stickler for rules and keeping things clean, but he cares about all the exhibits here. Even you, though you may not believe it."

"Darn right, I don't!" Jed told him a bit louder than he meant to. "McPhee can't stand me! Why, I bet if I got stepped on by a mammoth 'er somethin', he'd just complain about the stain on the floor!"

"Jed…"

But he turned away and hugged his knees to his chest. Octavius sighed and put a hand on his shoulder. "I've got to get back to the Empire. The sun's nearly up. I'll see you tomorrow, alright? Perhaps you can show me how to drive finally."

"Can't. McPhee's got the car till the end of the week."

"Really? Hmm." Out of the corner of his eye, Jed saw him get to his feet. "Then we'll find something else to do. Something that won't give Doctor McPhee a migraine."

"Sure. Like watchin' paint dry."

Another sigh. "Good morning, Jedediah. I shall see you later."

He gave a slight nod and got up to get into his own spot dejectedly. _No matter what we do tomorrow, I'll bet my hat I'll end up back here before sunrise. McPhee'll find something. Ol' grouch just can't stand me at all._

**A/N: **Thank you for all the positive feedback, I don't even have words for it! XD


	3. Chapter 3

Larry heard the Bluetooth headset ringing in his ear as he turned out of the school parking lot. Guess it's a good thing I forgot to delete McPhee's number, he thought. After a few rings, the curator finally picked up.

"Hello?" he half-asked, half-yawned.

"Hey, Doctor McPhee, it's Larry. You know, the old-"

"Larry?" His voice suddenly perked up. "Larry Daley?"

"Uh, yeah…" He hadn't expected McPhee to remember him, honestly. Or at least not sound so happy.

"Oh, thank goodness! I was hoping this day would come! You have no idea how exhausted I've been working both shifts. I've interviewed person after person, but I can't find one bloody applicant I feel I can trust with this secret."

For a moment, Larry forgot the reason he was calling. "Wait, really? You're telling me you've been doing double duty since the Tablet's been back?"

"I was starting to get desperate, honestly. I practically live here now! But, say no more, Larry. You don't have to beg. I will gladly give you back the position of nightguard."

His eyes widened. "What? Oh, no, no! That's not...I mean, I'm not looking for a job, I'm actually a teacher now. I'm not calling to ask for...no…"

There was a long silence and he wondered if maybe the phone had cut out.

"Oh. My mistake, I thought you...well, anyway, what is the reason for this little chit chat, then?"

"Have you seen the news lately? The sand down in Egypt is turning black."

"Well, I haven't been home a lot, like I said, but yes, I heard that somewhere. What does that have to do with me, though?"

"I've got kind of a weird feeling about it. I think something else is up. I was wondering if maybe I could...come by later? I know you're not supposed to let anyone in after hours, but kinda hopin' I could just ask Ahkmenrah about this?"

"...Well, given our history, I suppose I could let you in. You think he'll know about it?"

"I'm not sure, but I figure he's the best shot, you know?"

"This isn't going to be one of those 'save the world as we know it' things, is it?"

"I'm really hoping it's not. Substitute teacher plans are a pain in the neck. I'm probably overreacting but I bet Ahk will be able to give me a better answer than 'global warming'."

"Isn't that the polar ice caps melting?"

"Yeah. Guess that's the best they have right now."

He heard McPhee groan over the phone. "Our brilliant scientists hard at work, it seems. Alright, I guess I'll see you around sunset then."

"Thanks, McPhee. Sorry you're having trouble finding a replacement."

"Are you sure you don't want your job back?"

"Yes," Larry said without hesitation. "I love being a teacher, I really do. I'm sure somebody will turn up to take the spot."

McPhee sighed in his ear. "Alright. Just thought I would ask again. I'll see you in a few hours."

"Thanks again, I really appreciate it."

"Oh, and Larry? I'm honestly not trying so sway your choice, but…they're going to be really happy to see you. Truly."

Larry smiled as he made another turn. "I've missed them, too."

Before he knew it, hours had gone by. The sky was dark, and the city of New York was glowing in lights. Larry pulled up to the Museum and parked the car. With each step up the stairs he took, his excitement grew. He really couldn't wait to see his old friends again, even if he wasn't going to be nightguard anymore.

Doctor McPhee stood at the door with an ugly polka-dotted tie on his suit. He opened the door and Larry stepped inside. "Nice to see you again," the curator told him sincerely.

"Thanks, McPhee. How are things going tonight? It really sucks that you have to do both shifts."

"Well, someone has to keep the place from burning down, right?" For a moment, he gave Larry a hint of a smile. Larry couldn't remember many times that he saw the Doctor in a good mood, but tonight seemed to be an exception. "Everyone just woke up a few minutes ago, so at the moment, it's alright. It would be nice if someone potty trained Dexter, though."

Larry found himself laughing a little as he remembered all the times the capuchin had given him a rough night. He'd wanted to rip his hair out at the time, but now it was just a nice memory. "Yeah, I never got around to that when I was here, unfortunately. So how are you-"

He was cut off suddenly by an excited, thunderous roar. The floor began to shake underneath his feet as Rexy the tyrannosaurus charged towards him, happily. Oh God. Before he could make a move, Rexy wrapped his long, bony tail around him and tossed him into the air.

"Aaahhh! Rexy!" Larry suddenly felt a lot like a hacky sack. "Put me down!" He landed on the dinosaur's snout and groaned. "Hi, Rex," he mumbled. "I know, I missed you, too, buddy. But could you please put me back on the ground?"

Rexy wagged his tail and flipped the man once again, catching his shirt in his mouth. Slowly, Larry was lowered back to the floor with a pale-faced McPhee. "He's just excited." Larry smirked, petting Rexy's head.

"It seems so. Let's hope the rest of the exhibits don't give you such an animated greeting. We might need an ambulance."

Larry gave a full smile and the two started to roam the halls in search of Ahkmenrah. Everyone they encountered seemed to remember Larry very well, even after his four-year absence. Everyone from the faceless Union soldiers who saluted him to Christopher Columbus who smiled at him with a nod.

"So, how's teaching going?" Doctor McPhee prompted.

"Good, most days. I teach fifth graders at Ella Baker so, you know, sometimes they get a little out of hand. Most of the time though, it's a really great job. The kids love history."

"I can only guess why. You must have a lot to say about it."

"Well, I owe it all to this place," Larry explained, looking around the familiar halls. Feels like I was here yesterday. "What about you? Now that you know the big secret."

"Believe me, it took some adjusting. Here I am thinking I run a calm, sophisticated museum, and the next thing I know, every night is a party. But you know, once you get to talking to the exhibits, they really do grow on you. To be honest, some of the people here are much nicer than the ones awake when the sun is out. Take the Pharaoh for example. Fifty years, he was sealed up in his sarcophagus, yet he doesn't hold a single negative feeling towards anyone here. It's astounding, really. He's one of the most genuine people I've ever met."

"Yeah, that's Ahk for you. All the time I knew him, I don't think I've ever heard him raise his voice. He's always just been everyone's best friend. Guess it's just his nature."

"Yes…" McPhee seemed to ponder something for a moment. "You have to admit though, it's a little strange. Fifty years yelling for help in a box. Nobody released him but you. Yet he treats everyone here with nothing but respect after all of it."

Larry had to admit, that was a little weird. I guess he should've been at least a little mad after we let him out. All of the others had heard him screaming, but no one let him out. If I had been in that position, I wouldn't have just let it go like he seemed to. He realized that even though he'd know the young pharaoh for years, Ahkmenrah was still a bit of a mystery.

But he couldn't think on it anymore. The new sound of a horse's hooves on the hard floor brought Larry back down to earth and a slow smile to his face.

"Doctor McPhee!" Teddy Roosevelt called. "There seems to be a bit of a situat...Lawrence!" The man grinned widely under his mustache and quickly dismounted from Texas. "Good to see you, lad!"

He walked over and the old friends embraced in a tight hug. Teddy's gloved hand clapped him on the back a few times before they let go. Of all of his friends, Teddy was the one he'd been most looking forward to seeing again. Since his first night at the museum, the wax president had helped Larry take control of the chaos. If it hadn't been for him, Larry would have quit the most amazing job in the world within a week.

McPhee cleared his throat. "I don't want to interrupt this little reunion, but what did you come here to tell me, Mr. Roosevelt?

"Hmm? Oh, yes. The soccer game between African tribe's team and the Confederates got a little out of hand. Do you happen to know where the first aid kit might be?"

The curator cringed a little. "It's in the office. I'll get it. Where are they?"

"Sitting down on the bench by the Hall of Miniatures. It's not severe, just some ice, perhaps."

"Alright, thank you, Mr. Roosevelt. I assume you wouldn't mind taking our guest through the rest of the museum?"

Larry caught a glance from the man's bright eyes. "Not at all, Doctor. I hope you have a nice evening."

"And you as well. Thank you."

They waited a moment until he had gone down another hall before Teddy turned to him again. "I must admit, I didn't expect to see you again, son. To what do we owe this little visit?"

"Well, I heard something was going on down in Egypt, and I'm hoping Ahkmenrah can tell me about it."

Teddy arched a brow over his small, round glasses. "What exactly happened?" His face got even more confused as Larry explained what he'd heard on the news. Yet his glowing expression returned almost instantly. "Well, we'd better start searching then." Teddy motioned for him to follow and took Texas by the reigns. "I'm sure we'll find our young pharaoh around here somewhere. Don't believe he's DJing tonight, which means he's probably with Dexter. I tell you, Lawrence, I've never seen a stronger bond between an animal and a man in my life. He's the only one in the whole museum who can get Dexter to listen. If we find our mischievous capuchin, I bet we'll find Ahkmenrah."

**A/N:** A shorter chapter, yes, but trust me, there wasn't a good way to split the next part up. It's gonna get interesting. :)


	4. Chapter 4

Before he'd come to the museum, Ahkmenrah never truly appreciated the fact that he could speak Mongolian. Now, as he stood before the three large, hairy, angry looking men, he mentally thanked Ra that he'd studied it.

Attila, the leader, was right in front of the young pharaoh. So close, he could feel the man breathing. His eyes were shining with fury. It had been quite some time since Ahkmenrah had seen the Hun like this, making him wonder just _what _had him so angry. He cleared his throat and tried not to let his nervousness show when he spoke. _"Good evening, Attila. How are you-"_

_"__Silence!" _he shouted, accidentally spitting on Ahkmenrah a bit. He pointed to another Hun, who held Dexter up by the tail. _Oh no. What did he do _now? _If I didn't know better, I'd say Dexter's trying to get me killed. ...Which can't happen, since I'm a mummy, but I'd prefer not to have my limbs torn from my body if I can help it._

_"__Your pet tried to steal from me!" _Attila growled.

Ahkmenrah swallowed hard. This wasn't going to be easy. _"I see. Well, first, allow me to apologize on Dexter's behal-" _He was cut off as Attila held up a long, sharp blade mere inches from his nose.

"This," the bearded man snarled, "_was what it tried to take. This sword was given to me by my father. It was the only gift he _ever _gave to me_. _And now your little monkey tries to steal it?!" _

Sweat started to pour down the back of Ahkmenrah's neck. On his first-time meeting Attila, he learned that the Hun had, for lack of better words, "Daddy Issues". _"I assure you," _Ahkmenrah said, trying not to panic. _"I will make sure it doesn't happen again."_

_"__It had better not!" _Again, more saliva. A moment passed and Ahkmenrah saw the man take a deep breath. His expression softened and the blade disappeared into the man's belt. _"Pharaoh Ahkmenrah, my men and I consider you a good friend. You are kindhearted and have never done anyone in this museum wrong. We would never do anything to hurt you." _

He gave a small sigh of relief.

_"__But," _the Hun continued. _"If your monkey _ever _tries to steal from myself or my men again, I promise you, we shall not hesitate to kill it. Do you understand?"_

_"__...Well...in my opinion, violence really doesn't do much to solve things." _Attila's brow furrowed quickly._ "But given the blade's origins, I can understand that you feel that way." _Ahkmenrah smiled nervously. The other Hun handed Dexter to him. The capuchin instantly went onto his shoulder, unaware of the danger. _"I will ensure that Dexter never touches any of your belongings again. You have my word."_

Attila eyed him for a moment, then backed up finally. _"Good. I am sorry the night had to begin this way, my friend. You know I still have an occasional temper."_

_"__It's understandable. Now, if you'll excuse us, we'll be on our way. Have a nice evening, Attila, and I truly am sorry for the trouble." _

The Hun nodded and the two parties turned away from each other. Dexter chattered into his ear as Ahkmenrah started to walk down the hall, still shaken. _That could've been a _lot _worse, _he thought. He turned to the capuchin, who was still watching the Huns leave. Before he could take another step, Dexter made a loud sound, causing Attila to turn around.

And before his eyes, Dexter blew a raspberry at the leader of the Huns.

Ahkmenrah's breath caught in his throat. He looked over his shoulder and instantly regretted it. Attila whipped out his blade again in an instant. With a face as red as a tomato, he turned to his men and shouted, _"Kill it!"_

_Oh, Ra._

As the Huns started to yell and charge towards him, Ahkmenrah grabbed Dexter and broke into a run. His golden cape flowed behind him as he raced down the halls with no clue where he was going or what to do. The only thing he knew was that, as troublesome as he was, he _really_ didn't want Dexter to get hurt. _Though if Attila doesn't kill him, _he thought, I_ just might!_

He glanced back at the Huns, who seemed to be gaining on them, and ducked down another hall. _What am I going to do? I can't outrun them for long! Dexter, I swear, you must have some sort of death wish! I just don't see why you had to bring _me _into it! _He racked his brain for anyone who could help him. Teddy was the best option. He had a good head on his shoulders and could probably get Attila to call off his hunt. Or at least shield Ahkmenrah from him.

_He and Sacagawea decided to meet by the Hall of Miniatures! _he remembered. _It's the best chance I've got! _Thankfully, Ahkmenrah was already on the first floor. _Just a few more turns and I'll be there. _He looked behind him to see Attila's furious face getting closer. _I just hope I can make it that far! _Keeping his eyes on the Huns, he made another turn. Unfortunately, he ran right into someone and fell forward, his eyes automatically closing. The person crashed onto the floor with the pharaoh on top of him.

When Ahkmenrah opened his eyes again, he was met with a familiar face and a pair of calming, blue eyes. "...Larry?"

A smile spread across the former night guard's face. "Ahkmenrah!"

The two quickly got to their feet and Ahk saw who was standing next to them with his horse. "Teddy!"

The sound of pounding boots and screaming filled the hall. Ahkmenrah remembered the coming peril and got behind the president. "Huns!"

Larry looked over. "Attila?"

Ahkmenrah saw him look back in his direction. "Dexter!" he explained, pointing to said capuchin, who was still in his arms.

Larry's eyes widened. "Dexter?...Dexter!" It was said more angrily than friendly.

"Lawrence," Teddy began. He pointed to the oncoming Huns.

"Attila!" Larry shouted.

The Hun leader suddenly skidded to a halt causing the other men to stop as well. "...Larry?" he asked. The shock had apparently distracted the Hun from his mission, at least for the moment.

"Attila," Larry began again. "What are you doing? Why are you chasing Ahk around the museum with your swords out?"

His face boiled with anger again and he pointed to the pharaoh. _"His pet tried to steal from me and then disrespected me to my face! I will not stand for this!" _

Larry turned to him with a very confused expression. To him, Attila had just spouted out a bunch of gibberish. Ahkmenrah, who was still hiding behind Teddy, tried to quickly explain the situation. "Dexter tried to steal Attila's sword which was given to him by his father and they caught him so I tried to calm Attila down and it almost worked but then Dexter stuck his tongue out and made that _'pbbbbbbt' _sound at him so then they said they were going to kill Dexter so I took him and ran then they chased me and I ran into you and here we are so please _help!" _He finally took a deep breath and exhaled.

Teddy looked over his shoulder at them. "Dexter," he said sternly. The animal made a sad sound and covered his eyes.

Ahkmenrah looked back at Larry, who sighed and turned back to Attila. "Alright. I know you're upset, and you have every right to be. But killing Dexter isn't going to help anything. You can't just do that to somebody because you're mad. I know you know better." He folded his hands across his chest and Attila looked at the floor. "I know the sword is important to you. So how about this? If Dexter ever tries to take something of yours again, you bring him to either McPhee, Ahkmenrah, or Teddy-"

"Unharmed," Ahk added.

"Right. And Dexter will be locked in his Hall for the rest of that night _plus _the one after. Does that sound fair?"

Attila let out an exhausted sigh and placed his blade back into his belt. He looked at Larry and nodded. "Good. Now why don't you and your guys go cool down, okay?" Larry smiled. Attila wrapped his muscular arms around the man and Larry clapped him on the back a few times. "It's okay. I know, I missed you, too."

The Hun nodded to Ahkmenrah apologetically and gave Dexter a final glare before walking away with his men in tow. Finally, the muscles in Ahk's body relaxed. _Thank Isis that's over. If Larry hadn't been here, I'm not sure what would've - _He did a double take. "Larry! Y-You're here!"

"Yeah, and it's a good thing, too," he replied with a small smile. "I see Dexter hasn't changed."

Ahkmenrah narrowed his eyes and looked at the capuchin of the hour. "No, he hasn't. And if he ever does something like that again, I'll make sure he's punished." Dexter gave him a weak smile. "But what about you?" he asked Larry. "I didn't expect to see you back."

"Well, I'm here to see you, actually."

His eyes widened a little bit. "Me?" A warm feeling bubbled up inside of him. Larry had been gone for years and now had come to see _him? _

"You see, something's going on down in Egypt and I'm hoping you know what it was."

The sensation left Ahkmenrah as quick as it came. "Egypt? What do you mean, what's wrong?"

"Whoa, whoa, don't panic," Larry told him quickly. "I'm probably overreacting, but I just wanna be sure."

"No need to cause yourself any more stress," Teddy told him as he placed a hand on his shoulder. He was no longer acting as Ahk's human shield. "You've already had a lot of excitement tonight."

He had a point there. "Well, I'm not sure if I'll know anything about it, but try me."

"Some of the sand in the desert is turning black. And it looks like it's spreading now."

Ahkmenrah arched a bow. "Black? Well, that's...definitely strange. I've never heard of anything like that, unfortunately."

Larry's face fell a little and Ahk felt a little bad. Four years since he'd seen his friend, and now he couldn't even help him. "Well, I'm sure they'll figure it out."

"I wonder though," Ahk began, wanting so badly to be of assistance. "If perhaps my parents might know anything about it. After all, they were around a lot longer than I was."

"Even if they did, there's no way to reach them," Teddy pointed out. "They're back in Britain."

Ahkmenrah frowned a little. _And without the Tablet, they're not even alive...unless...the Tablet. Perhaps… _"Larry, what do you call that thing you use to talk to people not around you again? The one you put by your ear?"

"A telephone. Most people just shorten it to 'phone' nowadays though. Why?"

"Well, I'm not certain...but perhaps the Tablet could bring them to life through it. It uses wires, does it not? The magic might be able to travel through them."

His eyes widened. "Really?"

"It is worth a try, right?"

Larry smiled and Ahkmenrah went to get the Tablet from his exhibit. A few minutes later, he and Larry were standing by the black landline phone in the office. Larry had looked up the number for the British museum using his cell phone. _How many kinds of these "phones" are there? _Ahkmenrah wondered. _And this entire "Google" thing is completely foreign to me._

Larry hit a few numbers on the phone and told him he was putting it on "speaker" so that they could both hear what they said. "Don't say anything right away. We have to make sure it's still Tilly working there. If it's not, there's no way we can do this."

Ahkmenrah nodded almost jumped a bit as it started making a ringing sound.

_"__Hello, British Museum, this is Tilly," _she said in her strong English accent.

_Thank Ra, she's still there. _He smiled.

"Hey, Tilly, it's Larry Daley and Ahkmenrah," Larry told her. "Do you remember m-"

_"__Ahk? He's there with you?"_

"Yes, Tilly, I'm here," he told her. _It's so strange speaking to her like this. _

She gasped over the phone. _"Hi! Oh, it's so nice to hear from you! Everything around here's been so _boring _since you left. We all really miss you, though. Well, _I _do. Everyone else isn't alive since you, you know, took the Tablet with you. But if they were, they'd miss you."_

"Umm...thanks. I think about you all quite often."

"Tilly," Larry began. "We need you to do something for us."

_"__Sure, anything."_

"Is there another landline in the room with Ahk's parents in it?"

_"__Ummm...yeah, I think so. Why?"_

"We're hoping the Tablet's magic will work through the phone lines," he explained. "He needs to ask them something."

_"__Oh, umm, alright. Let me run inside and grab that one then. Hang on." _Tilly's voice was suddenly replaced with soft, slow hold music. They sat there for a minute, waiting patiently. _"Alright, I got it. Is the Tablet working?"_

Ahkmenrah set the slab of gold on the table and it glowed even brighter than before. Before their eyes, the phone in his hand did the same and the light traveled down the cord into the machine.

Tilly gasped again. _"Oh my God, it's doing it! The lids to their sarcophaguses are opening! Is it sarcophaguses? Or sarcophagi? I'm not sure. Whatever, not important." _Her voice got a little farther away. _"Mr. and Mrs. Pharaoh! Your son needs to ask you something. He's on the phone for you." _Another moment passed before they heard her again. _"Here, just hold this and talk into this part. There you go."_

A new voice traveled over the lines. _"Ummm...hello? Ahkmenrah, are you there?" _

His face lit up as bright as the Tablet at the sound of the Queen's voice. "Yes, Mother."

_"__Hello, Son!" _his father yelled. _"How are you?"_

"I'm fine. I'm here with Larry Daley, the one who helped us restore the Tablet a few years ago."

_"__Oh, yes, I remember him," _the Queen said. _"Hello, Mr. Daley. Thank you again for helping our family."_

"Don't mention it," Larry told her, smiling. "It's the least I can do."

As much as he wanted to catch up with his parents, Ahkmenrah knew there was a reason they'd called. "Mother, I was wondering if I could ask you and Father something."

_"__Of course,_" his dad said. _"Anything."_

"Well, Larry's just told me that some of the sand in Egypt is turning black and is now starting to spread. Nobody seems to know why." Ahkmenrah waited for a moment for them to say something but only got silence. "Do um, you know anything about it by chance?"

A strange noise filled the other end and Ahkmenrah gave Larry a confused look.

_"__Sorry," _Tilly's voice had returned. _"She dropped the phone."_

Tilly disappeared again and they got bits and pieces of his parents talking to each other. _"Calm yourself, dear...it doesn't mean it's _him," his father said.

_"__Who else would it be? Merenkahre, I knew this would happen. I just knew it! We should've taken this more seriously!"_

"Who are they talking about?" Larry whispered.

"No idea. Mother, I am afraid we're not understanding."

The Queen's voice had lost its soothing sound. It was quick and panicky. _"Sweetheart, this isn't something we should tell you about over this...thing. We need you to come back to...where are we?"_

_"__Britain," _Tilly explained.

"What?" Ahkmenrah's stomach churned with nerves. Whatever was going on, it sounded serious.

_"__Get your friends together. I'm afraid that sand is a _very_ bad sign."_

He could feel the color leave his face. "Mother, wait, what's happening?"

_"__We'll explain everything to you when you get here. I'm sorry, Ahkmen, we should've told you about this, but...we never thought it would happen."_

_Thought _what _would happen? _

Larry leaned back over the phone. "We'll be there as soon as we can."

_"__Good. Thank you, Mr. Daley, and I'm terribly sorry about this. Oh, wait!"_

"What?" they asked in unison.

_"__Ahkmen...you aren't going to like this, but...bring your brother."_

If his eyes got any bigger, he would have looked like one of those old cartoon characters. _"What?!"_

"What?!" Merenkahre echoed.

_"__Ow, that was in my ear!Both of them!" _Queen Shepseheret told them. _"Look, I know neither of you get along with him-"_

"Get _along _with him?" Ahkmenrah repeated. "He _hates _me!"

_"__Son, you know better than to interrupt your mother."_

_"__...As I was saying," _she continued. _"I know Kahmunrah can be… very difficult. But whether we like it or not, he's a member of this family. And this situation is going to affect all of us. Please, Ahkmenrah. I know you and your brother have a bad history, but this is much more serious than your boyish fighting. As your mother, I'm asking you to please bring him along."_

He stood there for a moment with his mouth agape. Glancing at Larry, he saw that he was rubbing his head as if to ward off a migraine. Ahkmenrah sighed, knowing he could only give one answer. "Alright. I guess we'll go to Washington, pick him up, and then head to Britain."

_"__Alright, sweetheart, we'll see you then. We love you. Merenkahre, stop looking at me like that. You know we need Kahmunrah here. Goodbye, Son."_

"Goodbye."

_"__... Wow. That got weird," _Tilly said. _"Guess I'll see you all soon then."_

"Apparently," Larry replied. "We'll be there as soon as possible. Now we have to stop in Washington first, but I'll get them there. Thanks, Tilly."

_"__No problem. It's a good thing we did this. Bye, Ahk! Good luck with your brother."_

"Thank you," he said meekly. "I'm afraid I'll need it." Larry placed the phone back in its place, and it stopped glowing.

_Well, _the young pharaoh thought, _andI thought after being chased by the Huns, there was no_ way_ tonight could get worse._

**A/N:** And the plot thickens! That's right, it's an Egyptian family reunion! What do we think? And as always, thank you for all the favorites, follows, and comments. :)


	5. Chapter 5

After riding around in a car almost every night, Jedediah had almost forgotten how _sucky _it was to be a mere six inches tall. "I can't believe this," he whined. "We're gonna spend all night just walking around."

"Nonsense," Octavius told him. "We'll find something to do, I'm sure of it."

"Octy, with our lil' legs it's gonna take us another hour to get down this hall."

"Well perhaps we shall find someone who could give us a lift."

Jedediah rolled his eyes at the Roman's optimism. _Don't know where we'd even go if we did. Ain't nothing for people our size to do 'round here without almost getting crushed. Damn, I really wish we still had that car. _

"Listen!" Octavius said suddenly. "I hear Teddy." That was one of the few advantages to their height: to their small ears, everyone else spoke so loud they could always hear them. "Maybe he will allow us to ride in his pocket and we could spend time with him and Sacagawea. That would be nice, wouldn't it?"

Jed shrugged, still bitter about McPhee taking the car and yelling at him. They walked what felt like another mile to him and saw a few people standing near the office: Teddy, Dexter, Texas, Ahkmenrah and-

"Gigantor?" Jed's eyes grew twice their original size at the sight of his old friend. "What's he doin' back here?"

"I don't know. Be quiet for a minute and maybe they'll explain it."

They both waited by the corner and listened in on the conversation.

"Then his parents do know why the sand is turning a different color?" Teddy asked.

"Yeah." Larry nodded. "But they said it's too serious to tell him over the phone. They want him to come to Britain so they can explain."

"Britain?" Jed echoed. "They must be talkin' 'bout Ahk's family."

"Yes, it seems so," Octavius agreed.

"They said to bring friends, so this sounds like something very bad," Ahkmenrah told the president. "I think you and Larry should be enough. If you're up for it, of course. And if you want to bring Sacagawea."

"Of course I'll come along," Teddy smiled. "You know that if you ever need help, I'm more than willing. As for Sacagawea, whatever this is sounds a bit too dangerous. I would feel a lot better if she remained here."

"There's one more thing," Larry began. "Apparently, this situation involves the whole royal family, so...his mom wants us to bring Kahmunrah."

"Oh dear," Octavius said. "Now why in the world would they want to bring _him?_ And isn't he still in the Underworld?"

Slowly, a smirk formed across Jed's lips. "I think we just found a way to pass the time."

He turned to look at Octavius only to see his face pale a little. "You aren't really suggesting we got along, are you?"

"Why not? Ain't like we got somethin' better to do. 'Sides, we've stowed away almost every time stuff like this has happened."

"Yes, but this sounds much more _dangerous. _Don't you recall what happened the last time we saw Kahmunrah? The _hourglass?"_

He had a point there. _I was dumpin' sand outta my boots fer _weeks _after that. _But the cowboy's adventurous heart won the battle over his head. "Yeah, but we got Gigantor with us this time. And I'll have you there in case somethin' happens."

Octavius gave him a steady, somewhat concerned glare. "...There's no way to talk you out of this, is there?"

"Prob'ly not. C'mon, Octy, you know you wanna go, too. We always go along!"

"Yes. And we always nearly get ourselves killed in the process."

"Ya see, the keyword there is 'nearly'. What's the worst that can happen?"

"Do you want the full list or just the highlights?"

Jed brushed him off. A tiny, invisible light bulb appeared over his hat as an idea bubbled up. He smirked and placed a hand on the Roman's cool, armor-covered shoulder. "Think of it this way: by the time we get back, McPhee'll have to cough up the car. And when he does...I'll show you how to drive it."

Octavius's face light up a little and his brown eyes became clearer. "Really?"

"Mmm hmm."

He seemed to consider this for a minute before finally allowing a small grin. "Alright, Jedediah, you win. We'll go along."

"Yeehaw! Saddle up, boy, we're off!"

"How do I always let you talk me into these things?"

"You know you love me."

* * *

Nick was sitting on the sofa in his messy apartment building. He pulled off the tie around his neck and carelessly threw it on the floor. _Just another successful job interview, _he moped. Stretching over the arm of the couch, Nick grabbed his laptop and got onto _ . There has to be _something _I can do. If I don't start getting a paycheck again soon, I'm gonna get backed up on rent. And I _really _don't wanna have to move back in with Mom. _He scrolled down the list of potential jobs. _Busy boy won't pay enough plus it's embarrassing. I'm not qualified to be a dog groomer. ...Guess I'll have to try 'Janitor'. _He didn't like the thought of pushing around a mop and picking up after strangers, but desperation was starting to set in.

After the application was sent, he replaced the laptop and he turned on the TV. An attractive young woman on the _Food Network. "Now, to make the best lasagna, the trick is to-"_

Nick clicked the channel off as fast as possible. Just the word 'lasagna' made him think of the other day with his father. _It wasn't my fault, _he told himself. _He treats me like a kid. Sure, the motorcycle wasn't the best idea. But I'm an adult and I can make my own choices. He doesn't need to just _berate _me like that. He was totally crazy._

_I'm not feeling _guilty! He told himself. _I have no reason to be! I didn't do anything. I said I was gonna get another job. Yeah, it's taking longer than I thought it would, and there's no _way _I can use my last job as a reference...Maybe I _do _spend too much time with Alexa, and maybe I was late a few too many times, but...I don't know. _He slumped into the sofa and tried to put the thoughts out of his mind.

* * *

Larry wasn't sure if he could ever face the school's principal again. He'd had to call him early in the morning and explain that he couldn't come in because of a "family emergency". The principal said that was understandable and that they'd find a sub for his class. But then Larry had had to explain that he wasn't really sure when he'd be able to come back to work. Finding a sub for a day was doable. Finding a sub for an unknown amount of time…

The sun was set to rise very soon. The one thing Larry enjoyed about having to get up so early was the lack of traffic on the roads. Just like the previous night, Doctor McPhee was waiting at the door when he pulled up.

"Another call to adventure, it seems," the curator said.

"Yeah, guess it's a good thing we called. Whatever this is, it doesn't sound like a normal family meeting." They walked down the hallway down to the Egyptian Exhibit.

"So, how long do you suppose this will take?"

That caught him off guard a little. _I know McPhee's a pretty scheduled guy, but...I can't really plan this out. _"I have no idea. I mean, we have to get Kahmunrah before we even see Ahk's parents, and I have a feeling he's not gonna be very happy to see me."

He nodded a little. It was only a few minutes till sunrise. "I'm just asking because...well, you have to promise not to tell anyone." McPhee looked like an excited teenage girl who was going to reveal a new string of gossip.

"Uh...sure. It's between you and me."

"Good. Because I thought about what you said yesterday about Pharaoh Ahkmenrah. You know, he does so much for everyone here, he's always eager to help. It's actually rather sad that...no one's really returned the favor much. When's the last time we did something nice for him, d'you know what I mean?" Larry gave a hesitant nod, still not seeing where he was going, and he went on. "So, while you all are on this little adventure, I've got a construction crew coming in."

His eyes widened. "Construction. What are you, you...constructing?"

"I'm going to have the Egyptian Exhibit enlarged while he's gone." They were standing outside said exhibit and McPhee was smiling proudly. "Figure we just knock out a wall and make it probably, eh, double the size it is now? It shouldn't take long, but I just want to make sure he doesn't come back until it's finished."

Larry could only stare for a minute. "Wow. McPhee, that's really..._nice _of you."

"Nonsense, it's about time we did something for the poor man. I've lost track of how many times he's helped me keep the peace here."

"Yeah, but...he's gonna love it. And after all this is over, everything with his brother and what's going on in Egypt, to come back home and see that. He's gonna be really happy."

"I hope so. It's not exactly cheap, but for him, I'll take care of it."

Larry wanted to say more, to show how thrilled he was about this, but Rexy's roar cut him off. "Remember," McPhee whispered, "Don't tell him anything." He nodded and the two men walked inside. The jackal guards eyed them as they approached the room. Ahkmenrah was pacing back and forth in front of his sarcophagus.

"Hello, Doctor, Larry," he greeted with a grin. A blind man would be able to see it was fake.

"Hey, Ahk."

"Good evening, Pharaoh."

"You ready for this?" Larry asked. He could see his face was paler and his mind was very busy.

"I am as prepared as I shall ever be, I suppose," he replied sheepishly. "I know for a fact Kahmunrah will make this difficult, but...Mother's word is law. Literally."

Larry gave him his own attempt at a happy face and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let me handle your brother, alright? I took care of him once; I can do it again."

"Yes, but if you thought he was angry then, it shall be even worse after a few years in the Underworld."

_He's got me there._

"No need to worry, Pharaoh," McPhee interjected. "You have your 'Guardian' with you."

That got him to laugh a little. "Yes. The astounding Guardian of Brooklyn."

"Who lives in Manhattan," Larry added.

"It still doesn't sound as cool," Ahkmenrah told him as he wrinkled his nose.

"I know."

* * *

"Dumm da dum daa dum, dun nuh nuh."

_Just ignore it, and he'll stop in a second, _Jed thought again.

"Dum da dum da dum, _duh nuh nu."_

_Then again, he's been goin' since we left our Hall..._

"_Duuuuummmm-"_

"Octavius," he interrupted, having become a little concerned. "What're ya doing?"

"I just thought the occasion called for theme music."

"Sneakin' around the museum trying not to get attention calls for theme music?"

He nodded. "That's what happens in all those films we watched on YouTube."

"...A'right, ya twisted my arm. Carry on."

"_Duuuuuuuummmm, _dum da dum da duuumm_, dunananananaaaa."_

This was one of the few times Jedediah liked being small. Six-inch people were hard to spot, so it was relatively easy to get across the museum without being noticed. They only had to cross the front room, find Larry's car, and they were off. Jed led the way into the large room where Rexy would be when a new sound made him tense up. "Did you hear that?"

"I'm aware my voice cracked, you don't need to draw attention to it." The Roman blushed.

"No, not _you. _I mean somethin' else."

They stood in place and listened for a moment. Sure enough, soft padded feet could be heard, getting louder and louder. "Quick! Act casual," Jed ordered. He leaned his back up against the wall and pretended to admire a painting on it. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Octavius mimic his pose. _Anyone but McPhee, _he hoped. Anyone.

The steps got louder and louder, and Jed's muscles got tighter and tighter. Finally, a furry face rounded the corner. "Oh, thank Jupiter." Octavius sighed. "It's only Dexter."

The capuchin approached them walking on two feet with a toothy grin and a few small noises. "Well, hey there, buddy," Jed began. "What are you doin' all the way over here?" The only response he got were some chirping noises.

"You know, I'm not sure why," Octavius told him. "But I have a feeling Dexter is here for the same reason we are."

"I was just thinkin' that. Bet he wants to go along to help Ahk." He looked at the animal's bright eyes. "Ain't that right, buddy? You wanna make sure his big ol' brother don't mess with him?" That got a very clear nod. "Well, what're we waitin' for then?" Jed grinned. "Let's find Gigantor's car and hide b'fore the sun comes up."

Dexter smiled larger and the three of them continued on towards the door in silence.

"Hey, Octy?" the cowboy said sheepishly. "Could ya...could ya do it again? It don't feel right without it now."

The Roman cleared his throat. ""Dumm da dum daa dum, dun nuh nuh..."

* * *

With light now pouring into the building, the two men got Ahkmenrah, Teddy, and Tablet into the back of the trailer Larry had rented for the occasion. Even though he was lifeless at the moment, the look on the Teddy Roosevelt's face still gave Larry a sense of hope. Texas was left behind, since a horse wasn't really necessary for the trip, as was Ahkmenrah's sarcophagus.

"Well," McPhee began, clapping his hands once. "Guess you'll be off then."

Larry locked up the trailer and sighed a little. "I'm just lucky I could get a flight to Washington on such short notice. You'd think the seats would be taken."

"You're, um, really going to pick up that brother of his, then? For what you told me about him, it sounds like he won't be very cooperative."

"Well, yeah, but what choice do I have? His mom says this is some kinda family emergency and wants both of them there."

McPhee nodded just a little with his arms stiffly folded behind his back. "Have I ever told you I've never regretted not being a father? Children are just so...complicated."

"You may have said it once or thirty times while I worked here." He smirked.

"Always the comedian, aren't you, Mr. Daley?" But it seemed even the strict curator couldn't resist a small grin. "Be careful with my exhibits. They're extremely valuable." Just from the tone of his voice, Larry realized Doctor McPhee wasn't speaking in monetary terms.

"Hey, remember who you're talking to. I've always protected these guys. You just work on getting Ahk's exhibit all ready by the time we get back."

With that the shorter man stuck out his hand and Larry shook it firmly. As Doctor McPhee walked back up the stairs to the museum, Larry climbed into the driver's seat. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the zipper on his large, black backpack wasn't totally closed. Inside it were a few traveling essentials: phone changer, spare clothes, water bottle, bag of _Fritos…_

_I could've sworn that was zipped up._

He sat there, puzzled for a moment before he realized he had bigger issues to tend to. The most concerning: _Airport _traffic.


	6. Chapter 6

Larry finally managed to shove his bulky backpack into the overhead storage after struggling with it for a few minutes. _Why do I always overpack? This happens every time I travel, ever since I took Nick to Disney...Nick…_

He sat down in his seat as the last of the luggage was loaded into the plane. _Honestly, part of me thought he would've said something by now...Maybe I should call him. Just to see what's going on and tell him I'm gonna be out of town. _

Not knowing whether or not Nick would even take his call, Larry took out his phone. But before he could open his contacts, the peppy flight attendant's voice came over the speakers. _"Attention passengers, we are a few minutes away from takeoff now. Please put all cellular devices into Airplane Mode at this time, and once again, thank you for flying with us."_

_Of course. _He put his phone into Airplane Mode and replaced it into his pocket. _He probably wouldn't have answered anyway. He's too busy with Alexa, I bet, riding around on a bike he can't afford._

As the plane took to the air, Larry watched as the buildings got smaller and smaller. _Besides, I've got other things to think about right now. When this plane lands, I have to deal with Kahmunrah and figure out a way to get him to his parents. _His mind went back to the first time he'd met the elder Egyptian. He'd trapped Jedediah in an hourglass and nearly killed him, opened the door to the Underworld and almost took over the world with it, not to mention almost murdered him on more than one occasion.

_Maybe we should've brought rope or something, _Larry thought only half-joking._ I really doubt he'll make this easy. If he hates Ahkmenrah for taking the throne, he's probably not too happy with his parents for giving it to him. _He sighed a little and put in some headphones for the flight.

* * *

_"Aww, Nick, a _janitor? Really?" Alexa complained over the phone. _"Cleaning up after people? Think how that's gonna _look."

"I know, I know," he said. "But what choice do I have? I gotta start making money _somehow. _And it's just an interview."

_"Couldn't you have gone for something better, though?"_

"Like _what? _The only other job I've had I don't want anyone contacting because it'll look bad. And there's not exactly a lot of jobs to pick from." The other end was silent. "Look, I need money, and I need it soon. That bike_ really _hurt my wallet."

_"But it's so cool! All the sound it makes, the heads it turns! There's not a single person in New York who doesn't see us on it."_

"Yeah, but...what was wrong with me just taking the bus again?"

_"Trust me, Nick, this was a good idea. And you'll find a way to start making some cash, I know it."_

For some reason, he wasn't convinced. Nick sunk into the sofa and looked up at the ceiling. "Yeah. Look, babe, I'm gonna let you go, okay? I'll call you tomorrow."

_"Okay, Mr. Motorcycle." _He heard her blow a kiss to the receiver before the line went dead.

He set his phone onto the table in front of him and sat in silence. _I know being a janitor's not the most glorious job but...what does she want from me? She wants me to buy her nice clothes and take her out places, but she shoots down every position I go for. What does she want me to do, plant a money tree? _

_Why are girls so confusing?_

He automatically picked up his phone again, looking for some advice. It wasn't until he was about to press the call button that he remembered. Nick stared at the screen before putting the phone down once again.

He was about to call his dad.

Because every other time he'd needed him, his dad had been there, no matter how busy he was, or how much notice Nick gave him. Somehow, he'd always found a way to help.

_...Why did I say all that stuff to him? _He wondered. _I didn't mean it. Yeah, he was getting a little crazy but...now it's starting to look like he was right. Finding another job is really hard, I'm gonna have to pay rent soon, and Alexa _really _wanted that sundress. _

_I was just mad, and...scared and, really stressed out. I shouldn't have taken it out on him, but it all happened so fast before I could even stop it. He was trying to help the best he could._

_I acted like a jerk. _

Nick thought about trying to call him, but never did. He was too afraid that for the first time, his dad wouldn't answer.

* * *

Larry was driving around the city, just trying to kill some time until sundown. He wasn't going to the Smithsonian until it was closed. After leaving the very hectic and crowded Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, he'd rented a large truck to transport the two museum exhibits in and then went to get some food. It turned out New York pizza was _worlds _better than Washington pizza.

Out of the driver's side window proudly stood the large Lincoln Memorial, held up with sturdy, pearl columns. Sitting in a chair in the center was the sixteenth president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, who seemed to be watching over the capital city. Larry glanced at the man's face and was reminded of what the once-alive statue had told him: _"A house divided against itself cannot stand."_

When he turned back to the road, he saw that the sun was close to setting. _Guess I better head over to the museum, _he thought. _I need to get past the guard before these guys wake up. _

A few minutes later, Larry drove up to the entrance of the Smithsonian Institution. _You mess this up, it's all over, _he thought to himself. He ran through the lie he and Doctor McPhee had devised before he left as the night guard came to the small window. His hair was short and tightly curled. His nose was a little pointed and he had noticeable stubble on his chin and over his upper lip. The guard's eyes got a bit larger at the sight of Larry.

"Hey, I remember you," the young man said. "You're that guy from a few years ago! The one who does the freakin' karate or whatever with the flashlight!"

Like a smack to the face, Larry suddenly remembered. "Brando- er, _Bruden. _You're still working here?"

"No, I wear this uniform for fun, man. Of course I do! This job is easy as pie." He beamed. "So, what are you doin' here? Come to teach me some of your sick moves?" He put his chubby arms up as if he was a ninja. A really, really pathetic one.

"Um, no, unfortunately," Larry joked. "No, I'm here on business from Natural History, New York. Got a few exhibits that need to go into the archives."

He arched a bushy eyebrow. "Really? Usually they put that in the memo."

Larry's hand gripped the wheel a little tighter. He dared a glance to the sky and saw the sun was mere _minutes _away from disappearing.

"Just kidding, man," Brunden smirked. "I never read the memo."

_Thank God. _Larry forced some laughter.

"Just gotta call and confirm." He watched as Brunden dialed a number. After a few rings, Larry could hear McPhee's voice on the other end. "Okay...okay, so this is cool, then? A'right, thanks, dude." He hung it up and looked back at Larry. "Okay, you're in business, homie. You know where you're going?"

"Yeah, thanks," he said.

"A'right, nice seein' you."

"Same to you." Larry gave him a last smile before driving on. It wasn't until he had the truck parked that he finally exhaled. _For a second, I thought I was screwed. _

The museum had been closed for hours by that time, so the lot was nearly empty. Larry grabbed the handle and prepared to get out when suddenly, the backpack in the seat next to him fell to the floor. It was as if a ghost had pushed it over.

"What the…?" He leaned down to grab it but froze. It _moved. _

"Ow! Consarnit, that was my foot!" said a muffled country accent.

His eyes instantly narrowed. "Jed?"

"Sorry. I can't see a thing in here."

"Octavius!" Larry yelled. He seized the backpack and lifted it back onto the seat.

"Whoa, whoa, earthquake!" the cowboy shouted.

He quickly unzipped it and was met by a peculiar sight. Everything inside had been tossed around from the airplane and unfortunately it looked like his shampoo had leaked. But in the middle of the mess was a small cowboy next to a Roman soldier. _I should've known!_

"Oh, hey, Gigantor," Jedediah greeted with a nervous smile. "Fancy meetin' you here."

"Long time, no see, my liege," Octavius added.

"What are you guys _doing?" _he demanded.

"Adventure was callin' our names," Jed explained. "Ya can't ignore it! Also, that's a fine how do you do after all this time." He crossed his arms across his chest as if _Larry _was the one in the wrong.

"Oh, you're right, I'm sorry. Hi Jed, nice to see you. It's good that we got to reconnect before you and Octavius _get yourselves killed. _What are you guys thinking? Jed don't tell me you forgot what happened the last time we came here_. _Does the word 'hourglass' bring back any memories?"

"Yeah, but we got the Tablet this time," Jed countered. "Ol' Rahmenoodle's powerless. Ain't got no henchmen, no Tablet, no army, nothin'. We're fine."

Larry looked up to the roof of the van, quietly asking for any kind of help. "I should've expected you guys to come along."

"Umm, pardon me, my liege," Octavius started, sheepishly. "But I'm afraid we were not the only ones to come along uninvited."

As if on cue, Dexter poked his hairy head out from under the clothes. A pair of Larry's _Mr. Bubble _boxer shorts were on his head.

"Of course. Why not? Is anyone else in my backpack? Did Attila curl up into a ball and jump in, too?" Realization struck like lightning. That's _why the bag wouldn't fit on the plane! I knew I didn't overpack!_

"He wanted to come along for Ahkmenrah," the Roman concluded.

"Yeah." Jed grinned. "If his brother gives us any trouble, Dex can just pee on him. And we wanted to help, too!"

His pulse had quickened considerably, and Larry's body was tense. Anger was bubbling and brewing. Too many things were running through his mind: Kahmunrah, the black sand, Nick, the museum not having a guard, how were his kids behaving for the sub, the miniatures sneaking along and maybe getting hurt…

But deep down, he knew that the three stowaways had good intentions. They only wanted to help in any way they could and feel included. _Besides...I kinda missed these three troublemakers. _He sighed slowly as his muscles finally relaxed back into the seat a little and glanced back at Jed and Octavius. Dexter was finally getting the underwear off his head. "Alright," Larry started, still not very pleased. "But you guys are staying in my pocket until we get back to New York. And stay _quiet. _Kahmunrah isn't gonna be in a good mood to begin with." He picked up the two small men, ignoring Jed's complaints about being manhandled, and placed them in his shirt pocket. Dexter gave him an innocent face and got onto his shoulder. "And you're not off the hook either. Ahk's not gonna be happy." He finally got out of the van and made his way to the back of the trailer. Larry quickly scanned the area for witnesses before unlocking the door.

"Lawrence," Teddy grinned, "we were beginning to worry. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah. Turns out we have a little help." He gestured to his pocket and Teddy didn't seem very surprised.

"Dexter," Ahkmenrah began. He raised an annoyed eyebrow and the capuchin looked to the ground. "Aren't you supposed to be back at the museum? I don't recall inviting you on this."

Larry helped the young pharaoh and president out of the trailer and Dexter immediately jumped onto Ahkmenrah. "Doctor McPhee is going to be looking for you three," said the Egyptian.

Jedediah snorted. "He'll be glad we're outta the way. In fact, he'll probably hope we get lost and never come back."

"Jed," Octavius warned.

"Alright, guys, we don't have a lot of time," Larry told them. "We have to do this as quick as possible. We go in, get Kahmunrah, get back out. If one of the guards sees us, we're done for."

"I think they'll be a bit too distracted by the thousands of exhibits that can suddenly walk and talk," Ahkmenrah said.

"Another reason we need to do this fast. The second that Tablet goes through those doors, all Hell breaks loose. Are we all ready?" Jed and Octavius cheered happily, Teddy nodded, and even Dexter sounded excited. Larry caught the look on Ahk's face. The young man hadn't made a sound, just kept his eyes locked on his own feet. His face had lost a bit of color.

Unfortunately, they didn't have time for a pep talk. They quickly bustled into the large building under the cover of the new night. Just as he said, the very second the glowing Tablet passed the threshold into the museum, it erupted into a cacophony of sounds, so many at once, Larry couldn't tell what was what. _So much for this job being 'easy as pie', Brunden. _

Larry went up to a nearby map and scanned anything that could be where the Gate of Kahmunrah was. Given that he'd only seen it once, he had no clue where it was anymore. _Fossilab, Mud Masons of Mali, African Voices, aha! _"Eternal Life in Ancient Egypt, second floor."

"Elevator on your right," Teddy told him.

They all climbed inside of it and Larry hit the button frantically until the doors finally shut. His foot tapped like a rabbit's as it started to go up. _If anyone sees us, I'll probably go to jail, the world finds out about the Tablet, and whatever's going on in Egypt never gets fixed. That, or I have to kill Brunden._

Before the gleaming doors were even fully opened again, he was off like a rocket, examining the exhibit for the Gate. The walls were painted gold, a lot like Ahkmenrah's room back in New York. Every inch of them was covered with strange hieroglyphics, from jackals to pharaohs, all in very bright colors. One glass held a few jewel-encrusted vases of different sizes. Another was a crude painting of a brain being removed from a deceased man's nose. _Lovely, _he thought in passing. _I love Ahk, but his rituals are really weird. _

"Lawrence," Teddy called. "I'm assuming that's it?"

Larry's eyes followed his finger down to the end of the hall. A charcoal black statue stood on the wall. It resembled a mummified pharaoh with a large, black skull. There was a large, curved box in the middle of it. Only the Tablet of Ahkmenrah would be able to fill it. As he got closer to it, the air seemed to take on a sense of danger. Darkness. The room seemed to grow dimmer. This was indeed the Gate to the Underworld.

"Is it just me," Jed asked. "Or did it get creepier since the last time we saw it?"

"I'm not sure it can _get _creepier," Octavius told him.

Larry stood a few feet away from it, staring at the empty eye sockets of the skull. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ahkmenrah stand next to him, clutching the Tablet to his chest.

"Well...guess we should get this over with then," the Egyptian said. His voice had lost all tone and joy it usually held. Like everything around the Gate, Ahkmenrah seemed to grow darker. But Larry knew it wasn't the Gate doing it, but the person inside of it.

"Hey," he said, making Ahk turn to him. "Remember what I said. I'll take care of Kahmunrah. Okay?" He nodded, but Larry knew it hadn't helped much.

"And we're certain only Kahmunrah will come out once it's open?" Teddy asked.

Again, Ahkmenrah nodded. "He was the last one inside. He'll be the first to come back out. Once he is, I'll close the Gate up again."

"Alright." Larry clapped his hands. "Whenever you're ready."

He heard Ahkmenrah take a deep breath and approach the Gate. Larry straightened and tried to prepare himself. He still didn't know what he was going to do once Kahmunrah was back. Ahkmenrah placed the Tablet into the space and punched in the combination, the first few numbers of pi. The second he hit the last number, it began to glow. Larry could hear him begin to chant in Egyptian, quietly. After repeating the words a few times, the Pharaoh statue moved forward a little and the large, black door opened slowly. Green light began to fill the room as it got wider and wider. Ahkmenrah stepped to the side, ready to close it. Dexter made a high-pitched sound and covered his eyes.

The Gate finally opened all of the way and the sounds of souls screaming could now be heard. Larry watched as a tall, muscular figure began to come together. He kept a straight face, but deep down, there was fear and uncertainty in the pit of his stomach.

But there was no going back now.

**A/N: **Guess who's comin' next chaaaapter!


	7. Chapter 7

The sound of lost souls was beginning to grow quieter as his own was flying forwards. Slowly, he could feel himself begin to come together once again. His body felt as if it were waking up from a long, deep sleep yet his head was spinning like a cyclone.

Suddenly, everything came to stop.

His feet hit the floor with a soft thud. He opened his eyes only to find everything was a bit blurry. Placing a hand on his head to try to fight the dizziness, he was relieved to find his large hat was still there. Looking down as his eyes finally focused, he saw he looked no different than before he'd been forced into the Underworld.

_By Anubis himself, _Kahmunrah thought in awe. _I've been brought back to life once again!_

He looked up slowly and was shocked at what he saw. His ears tuned to the sound of the Gate closing behind him, but he didn't turn to see who had shut it. He was too focused on who was in front of him. Dressed in a black jacket, a blue shirt, black pants and shoes, stood the Devil himself.

"Mr. Daley," Kahmunrah said with a lisp. Just _looking _at the man made his blood boil. Every cell in his body wanted to kill him that very moment. Unfortunately, he had no weapon with which to do so beyond his own hands. His khopesh hadn't made the trip back. As much as he wanted to have his revenge, he decided to see why the man had come. There must've been a good reason, of course. "I must admit, I didn't expect to see you again."

"Yeah, this really wasn't on my To Do List, either, really," Larry deadpanned.

"Well, then might I ask just what warranted this little…" He had to pause for a moment and searched for a word. "Visit?"

The man seemed to study him before answering. "Something's happening in Egypt. The sand is turning black and now it's spreading."

That caught him off guard. _Sand doesn't change color. What in the world could be making it do that? _"Well," he began again. "That's certainly an interesting bit of news, but I don't see what it has to do with me. I've been a bit busy with thousands of shrieking _souls _to have caused that to happen, in case you forgot."

"I know it's not you, obviously," the man replied. "But your par- _Dexter, no!"_

Before he could even move, something small and hairy jumped onto the back of his neck. Kahmunrah growled as his body tensed and he tried to grab for the animal. He could hear it making sounds as it raced around his torso, a dark brown blur. His hand found a tail and gripped it tightly. Furious, he flung the animal to the floor. Kahmunrah opened his mouth to shout, but he never got the opportunity. The monkey was back up and was quickly scampering over to another figure. It climbed up the golden clothing and finally stopped on the man's shoulder. Kahmunrah stood there with his mouth open at the sight.

Ahkmenrah looked no different even after all these centuries.

"Why must you always cause trouble?" Ahkmenrah shouted. He was holding the Tablet under one of his arms. "This is the very reason I didn't want you to come along!"

"Well," Kahmunrah began. The younger Egyptian's bright eyes met his. "Well, well, well. Isn't_ this _a surprise?" He saw the color leave Ahkmenrah's face. Part of him was very pleased to see he still got that reaction. "The great pharaoh of Egypt come to see me. Had I known, I would have practiced my curtsy."

Ahkmenrah scowled at him. "I can't say I'm overly pleased to see you, either, brother. After...everything."

Kahmunrah prepared to snap at the brat pharaoh like a desert cobra, but he was cut off for the second time.

"Now is not the time to discuss old wounds," said an unfamiliar voice. He turned a little and saw another man standing near Larry who he hadn't noticed before. The man had a brown mustache, tan clothing, a hat that wasn't _nearly _as impressive as his own, and a pair of small, round glasses on his nose.

"Teddy's right," Larry told them. "We gotta get out of here before someone sees."

Kahmunrah furrowed his brow at the man. "I'm afraid I'm not going _anywhere,_ Mr. Daley, until one of you tells me just what is going on. And I suggest you do it quickly before I decide to kill your little monkey friend." He saw Ahkmenrah pull the creature closer to him. _Oh, how cute. He thinks he can protect it from me._

"Long story short," Larry began quickly. "Your parents know what's happening with the sand and want Ahkmenrah _and _you to come to Britain so they can explain it."

"...My parents?" he repeated. _How would they know what could be causing...Why in Ra's name do I care?! _His confused expression quickly became its default frown. "I'm afraid I'm not really up for a family reunion, sorry to say. Why don't you just take the favorite son over there and his attack monkey and send them my regards?"

Larry glared at him and Kahmunrah prepared for an argument. Or rather, prepared to win one.

"Very well," Ahkmenrah interjected. He walked back towards Larry wearing a confident grin. "You don't have to come if you don't want to."

"What?" Larry asked. "But your mom-"

"Don't worry," he said. Kahmunrah didn't care for his tone. It was as if Ahkmenrah knew something he didn't. "We'll simply tell Mother that Kahmunrah decided to remain here." He stopped walking but didn't turn around to face him again. "And when she hears that, she'll be furious that he didn't do as she asked. So much, she'll take the Tablet, find a way to come here to Washington, grab him by his ear, and drag him to London."

He widened his eyes a little.

"Unless of course," Ahkmenrah looked over his shoulder with a proud smirk. "he's changed his mind and would rather come willingly?"

Kahmunrah's teeth gritted in his mouth as he shot a death glare and flared his nostrils. _Always hiding behind Mommy and Daddy, isn't he? Well, perhaps one day, they won't be there to help him. _But for now, Ahkmenrah had won. _"Fine." _He snarled. Ahkmenrah grinned and Kahmunrah resisted the urge to smack the expression off his face.

"Alright," Larry said. "Let's get out of here."

* * *

Nick was surprised he could hear himself think over the sound of the motorcycle. Then again, it was a lot quieter than the woman shouting in his ear behind him.

"Alexa, I actually need to keep the hearing in that ear," he shouted over the noise.

"I can't help it! This is so fuuuunnn!"

He sighed a little and within a few minutes, he killed the bike in front of her apartment. Alexa squeezed him around the middle. "Thanks, Nicky. I had a great time as usual." Lipstick touched his cheek and a small jolt went up his spine. She got off the motorcycle and looked at him with her piercing green eyes. "Got any plans tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" he parroted. "Um, actually, I have that job interview, so I'm probably gonna be tired. I mean, it's four in the morning right now."

"Aw, Nicky, don't be a buzzkill. You're only young once, right? Let's have some fun!"

He racked his mind for some kind of excuse, but experience told him that none of them could get him out of this.

"What do you say we go dancing? Eight o'clock work?" Nick opened his mouth but it's a little hard to speak when a beautiful girl's kissing you. "See you then, cutie." She smiled. With that, she walked into the building.

After a minute, Nick started up the bike again and headed back to his own place. _I'm getting pretty good at parking this thing, _he thought. He walked to his apartment, tossed the keys on the table, and flopped onto his sofa. _What the hell am I gonna _do? _Alexa wants to go out all the time and I just can't say no to her! Why did she have to have me get her that purse? What was wrong with the old one? God, if I don't nail this interview tomorrow, I'm screw-_

_The interview! Crap, I gotta get some sleep!_

* * *

Larry had never had a more stressful plane ride. It had been delayed and everyone had nearly woken up when they were unloading the luggage at the London City Airport. He was still calming down as he drove the _second _rented truck to the British Museum. _Thank God this is a quick drive, _he thought. _I'm not sure how much longer they can stand being back there._

"For the last time, keep your monkey away from me before I snap its neck!" Kahmunrah shouted from the back of the truck.

"Dexter, come here! Be a good capuchin and leave Kahmunrah alone. Clearly he didn't get his beauty sleep in the Underworld."

"Why I ought to-"

"Alright, enough, both of you!" Larry heard Teddy shout. _You know you're in trouble when _he _yells. _"You're bickering isn't helping us any."

"Dang, Gigantor," Jedediah said from Larry's pocket. "Those two sure got some bad blood between 'em, don't they?"

"Yeah, sounds that way," Larry replied.

"I never thought it was possible," Octavius began. "But I think Kahmunrah hates his brother more than he hates _you."_

"Yeah, he really knows how to hold a grudge, I guess."

He turned into the museum parking lot and reached back to bang on the truck. "Alright, everyone be really quiet until I come back there, got it? Just in case it's not Tilly."

Surprisingly enough, not another sound was heard. Just like at the Smithsonian, the museum was already closed, and the lot was deserted. He pulled up to the small window that almost resembled a drive-thru and leaned out the truck a little.

A plump, short, young woman slide the window open. She was in a dark blue uniform and hat. Her hair was sitting on her shoulder in a ponytail. "Hello, Larry."

"Hey, Tilly. How have you been?"

"Uhh, this job has been so _boring _ever since Ahk left with the Tablet," she complained. "Are they all awake?"

"Yeah, and already driving me crazy. Dexter, Jed, and Octavius decided to sneak along for the ride."

"Nice to meet ya, Tilly," Jed greeted with a tip of his hat.

"It's a shame we didn't meet before," Octavius added. "We were a bit preoccupied with our impending doom at the time."

Tilly grinned at the two the way a woman would do at a cute puppy or baby and turned back to Larry. "Well, let's get them out of there then, before someone dies," she joked. _She has no clue how close that was to happening._

He left the backpack in the truck and went to the back. The door went up easily to reveal the three people and Dexter. "Hi Ahk!" Tilly shouted as he got out. She instantly wrapped her arms around him in an embrace. "Aww, I missed you so much! Things have been so dull without you here."

"I missed you, too." He wheezed. "But you're crushing my ribs."

"Oh, sorry! Overexcited." Larry almost laughed a little as she let him go. "So where is this brother I heard abo-" Her eyes widened as Kahmunrah jumped out of the truck. "...Hell-_lo." _

_Oh God._

"Ahkmenrah, you didn't tell me your brother was so...muscular."

_Not on him, _Larry begged. _The thing with Laa was weird enough. Please God, don't let her have a crush on _him.

On the contrary, Kahmunrah seemed to be enjoying the attention. His seemingly permanent scowl had become an arrogant smirk. Ahkmenrah gestured to him sheepishly. "Tilly, this is my older brother, Kahmunrah. Kahmunrah, Tilly the night guard."

The older Egyptian pushed past him and extended a hand. "A pleasure to meet you." Larry was a bit surprised to see the man acting so...not murderous. Jed made a barfing sound in his pocket. Tilly seized her opportunity and reached past his palm, going right for his arm.

"Bloody hell," she swooned. "It's like a freakin' _boulder._"

Kahmunrah looked a bit surprised at her, um...boldness, but said nothing. Ahkmenrah looked like he was going to _really _be sick. Teddy had gotten out of the truck by this time with Dexter on his shoulder and approached Tilly, who looked to be drooling a bit.

"I don't believe we've been properly introduced," he began, coming to the rescue. Tilly snapped out of her trance and turned to him. He gave her a gloved hand and a smile. "Theodore Roosevelt, at your service."

She cleared her throat and let go of Kahmunrah to shake it. "Nice to meet you all. Let's go inside before someone sees you." Before she took a step though, Larry caught her wink at Kahmunrah. He stifled a gag.

They followed her into the British Museum and just like before, once the Tablet was inside, it erupted into a deafening mix of growling, shouting, and thousands of other sounds that were buried in the racket. "Oh man, I've missed this," Tilly told him. "You were right when you said this was the best job ever."

"Yeah, it's a real party." He smiled. "Kinda sucks to be the guy who has to, y'know, clean it up every morning, but it's worth it."

"You still working at the New York museum then?"

"Um, no, actually. After we left Ahk and the Tablet here, I went back to school and became a teacher. Fifth graders."

"Aww, how cute. With their little noses and chubby cheeks, and-"

Kahmunrah cleared his throat, loudly. "I don't mean to interrupt this little...thing," he said. "But I believe we're here for a reason?"

"As much as I hate to say it, he has a point," Ahk told them. "Mother sounded scared on the phone. The sooner we figure out the story behind that sand, the better."

"You know where to go?" Tilly asked. "I'd come with, but I gotta watch over the rest of the museum."

"I think we got it handled, don't worry."

"Well, you tell Merenkahre and Shepseheret I said hello. And Ahk, now that the Tablet makes calls, you give me a ring every now and again, okay?"

"Of course, Tilly. It was lovely to see you again."

"Nice to see you and your beefy, er, big brother."

His stomach flipped and Larry was glad to get some distance between Kahmunrah and Tilly before anything else happened. They walked inside and were met with an _unsavory _sight. The statues had come to life but were out of practice. Some of them weren't made with all of their limbs. Larry did his best not to watch as some of them crawled around on the floor without legs. Just knowing it was going on around him made him tense. _I can't believe I forgot this part. The first time, I figured this would give me nightmares for at least a month. _He chanced a glance behind him to make sure everyone was still there. Teddy was staring forward along with Ahkmenrah. Kahmunrah looked a bit green and Dexter was on Ahk's shoulder, covering his eyes with one of his arms.

It felt like it had taken hours to walk through that room, but once they were out, the tension around them lifted. "Alright guys," Larry began. "The sooner we get to Egypt, the sooner we figure out what's going on." Thankfully, the statues seemed to have shocked the two Egyptians so much, neither of them said a word as they went through the lively museum. They kept on quietly with Larry leading and Teddy staying in between the brothers. Frankly, Larry wanted to get out of the museum as soon as he could for more than one reason. One was that he wanted to set this entire black sand thing to rest. The second was that, as amazing as it was to see the British Exhibits come to life, it made him think of the first time he'd come there. The Tablet had been corroding.

And nearly everyone he cared about almost died before his eyes, and he couldn't do a thing about it.

Over the years, the New York exhibits had become like family to him. Even after he stopped being the nightguard, he still felt responsible for them. And if any of them got hurt, it would crush him. Just the thought was making his stomach knot up tighter and tighter. He looked back quickly at them then glanced down at Jed and Octavius. _Not this time, guys. Whatever's going on, we're all making it back to New York. _

"I think we take a left at the end of this-"

The ground trembled underneath his feet and his sentence was forgotten. _What was that?_

Teddy walked up to him with his eyes showing a bit of concern. "I'm sorry to say over the years I've forgotten just what sort of creatures we met here."

"Well, if I may make a suggestion," Kahmunrah began in a sharp tone. _If I didn't know better,_ Larry thought with an internal smirk. _It almost sounds like he's a little scared. _"Whatever that was, let's do our best to avoid it."

No one objected. Larry took another few steps, when the ground trembled again, harder this time.

"That might be a bit hard," Ahkmenrah said in a hushed voice. "Because I think it's coming this way."

Sure enough, the floor was shaking to the point where Larry thought if he tried to walk, he'd fall over. Out of the corner of his eye, he noted that Teddy had left his gun back in New York. _Not that it would actually fire if he had it. _They stood there in anticipation as the creature finally skidded around the corner. A large Triceratops skeleton balanced itself and came to a stop. Its eye sockets seemed to focus on the group.

"What in the name of Isis," Kahmunrah muttered.

Ahkmenrah, on the other hand, smiled brightly. "Trixie."

The name opened a dam in Larry's mind. They'd met the feisty fossil on their first trip to London and she was eventually domesticated. At this point, she was like a female version of Rexy, though she didn't care for playing fetch. Larry released the breath he didn't realize he was holding.

Ahkmenrah walked forwards and Trixie's tail thundered behind her. "Well someone sure is happy to be up and about, aren't you?" The dinosaur made a panting sound and lowered her head down closer to him. "I know, I've been away for quite some time. You didn't forget about me, did you?"

"Of course not," Kahmunrah interjected with venom in his voice. "How could anyone ever forget about _you?"_

Ahk sent a glare over his shoulder but Larry barely noticed. Trixie had narrowed her eyes...er, eye sockets and raised her head back up. He followed her gaze and saw it lead back to Kahmunrah. _….Oh no._

Ahkmenrah seemed to notice as well and tried to get her attention again. "It's alright, Trixie. It's okay, look over here. Look over at me." Her chest stuck out more and Larry could've sworn he heard the fossil _growl _a bit. Larry quickly realized that this was another connection between the dinos and dogs: they got very protective around people they didn't know.

Larry saw Kahmunrah look a bit paler as Trixie gazed down at him. Ahkmenrah was growing a bit desperate. "He's alright, girl, he's with us. Well, not really, Mother made us bring him along, but-"

An earsplitting roar echoed throughout the hall as Trixie leapt over the young pharaoh. Not wasting a second, Kahmunrah turned around and raced down the hall with the golden pieces in his hair clattering against him.

Larry quickly followed suit and chased after the rampaging dinosaur with the others close behind him. _"Trixie!" _Ahk shouted. "Come back! You don't want to eat him, believe me! You don't know where he's been!"

As he ran down the halls, trying to keep up with the dinosaur, Larry heard Jed laugh in his pocket. "That dino thinks Rahmenoodle's a chew toy!"

"Jed, you're not helping!"

"Hey, I'm just sayin'." He shrugged, "It's 'bout time somebody taught him a lesson."

"Preferably not one that stomps him into pudding! I hate him as much as you do, but I can't exactly walk to the Egyptian exhibit with one of their children in ten different pieces!"

The three of them, along with the miniatures and Dexter, called after Trixie but she and Kahmunrah were quickly out of sight.

**A/N: **Kahmunrah is fun to torture, haha! By the way, I try to do my best to update about every 2 weeks, but there is always a small chance I could forget for a day or two. As always, thank you all for your lovely comments, follows, and favs. They keep me going!


	8. Chapter 8

_I never thought I'd say this, _Kahmunrah thought as he raced down another corridor. _But I'm starting to _really _miss the Underworld. _He looked over his shoulder to see the giant dinosaur skeleton chasing him still and gaining speed. _You know as quick as this thing is, one would think it would have lived longer. _

He looked forwards again and ran down another countless hallway. His calves were starting to develop a burning sensation in them. Not only was there an enormous monster running after him, but he also had to navigate around every other living museum exhibit. Jumping over a frog, he saw what was coming and his face drained of all color.

He had run himself right into a dead end.

_Osiris, help me._

He skidded to a stop, reluctantly, and turned towards the dinosaur. She stopped as well and growled loudly, taking slow, taunting steps towards him. Desperation kicked in and he held his hands up as if they would do anything. "Nice dinosaur. Good girl. You really don't want to do this, you know. Egyptians are notoriously...I'm going to be honest, I'm not sure where I was going with that."

The skeleton let out another echoing roar and charged at him, making the floor quake again. Kahmunrah held his arms over his face and screwed his eyes shut.

_"__Trixie, no! Heel, girl!"_

The sound of clanking metal made him chance a look at what was going on. The dinosaur was dangerously close to goring him on its massive horns when a shining something slid underneath it and was suddenly standing in front of him. Like magic, the skeleton halted mere feet away from them. Slowly, Kahmunrah lowered his arms back down to his sides. _How in the world did he do that?_

He watched in a bit of awe as the stranger pointed down to the ground. "Sit."

And it _did. _Armor covered arms crossed across his body. "You know better than that, Trixie. I'm surprised at you." _Did it...did it just _whimper? "You can't just go chasing people around, trying to impale them. It's not polite. Now, go find a toy to play with while I clean up anything you may have broken. We will discuss this later."

The fossil gave him an apologetic nudge with her head before walking away. Finally, the strange man turned around to face him and Kahmunrah was able to get a good look at him. He had dirty blonde, somewhat messy hair that just barely touched his shoulders. Bright, blue eyes met his for a moment. His mustache and beard matched the color on his head. From the neck down he was covered in chainmail and armor. An impressive looking sword was resting in its sheath on his hip. On his chest was a foreign crest of red and blue with some kind of creature on it he didn't recognize. "I'm terribly sorry about that," he told him with an embarrassed, somewhat goofy looking smile. "She's actually quite tame and playful most of the time. But she really doesn't like strangers."

Kahmunrah was both confused by his strange attire and astounded by how he'd been able to handle the enormous dinosaur. "...Who _are _you?"

"Oh, of course, where are my manners?" He extended a metal hand. "Sir Lancelot, at your service." He arched a brow at the name and made no move to shake his hand. "...And you are?" he asked after a moment.

Part of him still tensed at the fact that the world no longer knew his name. "_I," _A light pause for dramatic effect. "Am Kahmunrah, half-god, once remov-"

"I'm sorry, but," He couldn't help but cringe a bit at the interruption. _Were we back in Egypt, I'd have his tongue cut out. Well perhaps only part of it, considering he did know how to control the dinosaur. _"You wouldn't be from Egypt, would you?"

_No, I'm Greek. Tunics are all the rage there. _"Yes."

"What a coincidence. An old friend of mine was Egyptian. He left, though." Kahmunrah stopped listening to the man's chatter as the sound of a few sets of feet approaching got louder. "Say, perhaps you knew him! His name's-"

"Trixie!" called an _all too familiar _voice. "Mother and Father won't be happy if you eat him!"

Lancelot lost interest in him as the group finally rounded the corner. "Oh, thank Ra you're okay," Ahkmenrah said breathlessly. _No thanks to you, of course. _"I'm not sure how I would've told Mo...Lance?"

"Ahk?"

_Of course he knows him. _Everyone_ knows him._

"It's so good to see you!" Ahkmenrah grinned as the two embraced in a hug. _Oh, excuse me while I vomit. _

"What are you doing back here?" Lancelot asked. "I thought you wanted to be in New York."

"Well, I was, er, _am_. We're only here really because there's something going on in Egypt and only my parents seem to know what it is. And it's apparently quite serious because they had us stop and get...oh, right." Kahmunrah rolled his eyes as everyone seemed to recall his presence. Ahkmenrah shifted uncomfortably and gestured to him. "I'm assuming you already met my older brother, Kahmunrah."

The knight's eyes widened considerably as he quickly looked at both of them a few times. "You have a _brother?" _He watched as Ahkmenrah nodded with an embarrassed look. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"Well, it... some things-"

"I mean, I've known you for _three years_. One would think you would have at least mentioned him." The knight gave him a teasing look. "What else are you keeping from me?"

"Nothing of importance."

_I suppose that's the category I fall under._

"Guys," Larry began. "I hate to cut your reunion short, but I really don't want to keep your parents waiting."

"Oh, Larry, I barely noticed you were here. And you as well, Mr. Roosevelt," Lancelot admitted. "Well, if you're going to the Egyptian Exhibit, allow me to lead the way. We'll make sure Trixie doesn't give this brother of yours any more trouble, hmm?" He grinned at Ahkmenrah, who gave a very weak one in return.

As they started on again with the knight leading the way, Kahmunrah stayed in the back of the group. He watched for a moment as Ahkmenrah caught up with Lancelot and struck up a conversation. He didn't bother to listen in and instead quietly pretended to crush Ahkmenrah's head between his fingers.

* * *

"That _is _strange," Lance agreed as Ahk finished the story. "And neither of your parents told you why the sand is changing?"

He shook his head. "All they said was to grab Kahmunrah and come straight here."

Lancelot gave him a confused look then a simple shrug. "Well, we'll find out momentarily. Because here we are."

Ahk looked forwards again and saw the Egyptian Wing, which for years was like another home to him. It was full of large pillars with hieroglyphics carved into them. The room was at least three times the size of his own back in New York. In it were many jewel encrusted jars, a few small statues of a handful of Gods, and a larger one of Anubis. On the back wall were more hieroglyphics and above that was a painting of two bird-like creatures around a large red-orange orb. In the middle were two large sarcophagi without lids.

As if on cue, a figure rounded the corner and his eyes widened a bit. Pharaoh Merenkahre strode towards them proudly. His face showed no visible emotion. He was adorned in a tunic somewhat similar to Kahmunrah's, through Merenkahre's had blue on some parts. The air seemed to grow more tense as he approached. No one moved until he was standing before them. Ahkmenrah looked at his father and met his eyes. After a moment, Merenkahre placed his hand onto his shoulder - the one without the capuchin on it. "My son. It is so good to see you again."

Ahk couldn't help but smile. He wanted to reach out and hug his father but knew very well that he was not a very big fan of that kind of affection. "It's good to see you, too. I only wish it was under better circumstances."

"Yes." He took his hand off his shoulder. "We have...much to discuss." Ahk watched as his father's eyes looked away from him. He followed his gaze and his stomach tightened. Kahmunrah and Merenkahre had locked eyes. The two men hadn't seen each other in centuries and frankly, hadn't parted on the best of terms. To Ahk, it was as if two alpha male dogs had entered the same room and just left him wondering if a fight was going to break out.

"...Kahmunrah." Merenkahre said coldly.

"Father," he snarled back.

The moment hung in the air as neither man stopped staring at the other.

Thankfully, footsteps approached, and another familiar face entered the room. Queen Shepseheret was dressed in a flowing pearl dress of cotton that covered her feet. Her hair was braided with little bits of gold in them and was topped with her crown. On her shoulders was another accessory that looked like golden bird's wings. She walked quickly but paused at the sight of the group. A smile spread across her face and she stretched her arms out. "My boys."

She walked up to Ahkmenrah and wrapped him in a hug. Instantly, the tension in the room evaporated. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you, too." And having his parents in front of him now made him realize that yes, he really did.

She let go of him and approached Kahmunrah warmly. Ahk saw Larry's eyes widened as the Queen wrapped her arms around her oldest child. He could see the anger in his brother's eyes dissipate as he returned her embrace. _Mother is the only person in history who has even been able to get that kind of reaction out of him. To erase away his anger, even just for a minute._

His mother broke apart and looked up at Kahmunrah, who was the tallest in the family. "It's been so long since I've seen you, yet it looks as if you haven't changed at all." He opened his mouth to say something, but she kept going. "Ahkmenrah told me some time ago that you somehow ended up in...What was it again? Washing something? Washing Machine?"

"Washington," Larry explained. "At the Smithsonian."

"Oh, yes, yes, that's right." She placed a hand on her hip and looked at him with a firmer expression. "He also told me that you were getting into a bit of trouble."

And just like that, Kahmunrah's rage returned to his eyes though he tried to conceal it. Ahkmenrah shuffled his foot as he caught an evil glare from his brother. "Oh, did he now? And just what did he say?"

_Oh, don't worry, brother, _Ahk thought annoyed. _I didn't tattle on you this time. At least not fully._

"You were trying to take your brother's Tablet."

_And that was all I told her. I left out the fact that you tried to kill two of my friends and almost took over the world with the Gate. You're welcome. Just be glad I can't bear to break our Mother's heart._

"Well I'm not going to deny it," Kahmunrah said, turning his attention back to his mother.

"I wish you would simply let that go, Kahmunrah. It cannot be healthy for you to hang onto these things." She held her gaze for a moment before softening again. "But that's all over with now. We're finally all together again. I only wish it was for any other reason than this." Her voice lost all its light with that final sentence.

"Mr. Daley," she began again. Larry looked up, surprised. He clearly had been somewhere else for the past few minutes. "Thank you again for bringing my children here on such short notice. I trust the journey was simple enough?"

He hesitated and Ahk knew he was thinking back to all the arguing he and Kahmunrah had gotten into on the way here. _He started it. _

"Oh, yeah, it was fine. Airports suck, but I can't really change that, you know?"

The Queen gave him a smile, having only understood parts of that sentence. "And Sir Lancelot, it is so nice to see you once again. Thank you for leading them here."

"I am but your humble servant, your majesty." Lance bowed slightly and grinned.

"Well." She clapped her hands, "I'm glad you've all arrived, but we really do have quite an emergency on our hands. You may want to sit down for this, it is quite a tale."

Ahkmenrah sat down between Kahmunrah and Lancelot. Dexter climbed off of his shoulder and obediently sat on the floor. _I guess even _he _knows this is bad. _

"We should've told you about this centuries ago, children," The Queen said with a serious, remorseful tone. "But we never...well, perhaps we should just explain this mess." _Finally, we'll know what's going on, _Ahk thought. She looked at Merenkahre. "Would you like to, or shall I?"

He considered this for a minute before decided he would tell the story. "It was centuries ago, before either of you were even born. Egypt was thriving, the Jews were singing, everything was going perfectly. Until one day, when a strange man named Zalaam came to the palace. No one knew where he came from. I swear it was if the man had simply appeared out of thin air. Zalaam came to your mother and I to offer his services. He claimed that he could help us expand Egypt, make an even larger empire."

"How?" Kahmunrah asked.

Merenkahre shot him a look that read, _"I was getting to that if you hadn't interrupted me" and_ kept going. "He had very strong, dark magic in his possession. Somehow, he had learned to control sand as black as the night sky. But his plans, what he propositioned us with...it was horrible. He didn't want to help Egypt, only himself. He wanted to conquer the entire world with his powers and for us to assist him in doing so. He would've killed thousands of innocent people if it meant he had the world in his hands. Zalaam tried to convince us, telling us it would make Egypt the most powerful kingdom in existence. But we never gave in, no matter what he tried to tempt us with.

"Outraged by our rejection, he vowed to destroy everything we held dear when he had the power to do so. He said one day he would be stronger than ever before and return. I, of course, ordered the guards to arrest and execute him. But just as quickly as he appeared, Zalaam used his magic to vanish without a trace. We searched everywhere we could think of for months. But we never got a single clue to show that he'd even been in Egypt in the first place.

"Years later, when Kahmunrah was probably no more than five, it was rumored that Zalaam had died. We had no reason to believe it wasn't true. After that, all was as it was before. Eventually, your mother and I virtually forgot we had ever met the man. But now…" Merenkahre seemed to drift off into thoughts.

Larry spoke up. "Are you...saying that the sand changing to black means he's coming back?"

The Queen could only give a slight nod.

Ahkmenrah could feel panic twisting up his inside. "But how? He's been dead for centuries."

"If you haven't noticed, genius_, we've _been dead for centuries," Kahmunrah snapped. "And yet here we are walking and talking. If we can cheat death, I think it's safe to assume this Zalaam can as well."

"Well, in a way," the Queen told them. "Where the Tablet can restore your body, Zalaam can only bring his soul back."

"...Well then there's no problem then." Lancelot smiled. "If he's just some lost soul without a body, he can't do anything, right?"

"I'm afraid you are incorrect, Sir Lancelot." She frowned. "Zalaam may rise as a soul, but he could easily possess the nearest body. If he accomplished that, he would have all of his magic once again and could wreak havoc."

_Possess a body?_

"What can we do to stop him?" Teddy asked.

Merenkahre spoke up again. "There is a legend that goes back years and years of the Mirror of Wadjet. The tale claims that somewhere in a hidden temple for Wadjet, deep in the desert, lies the Mirror. It was blessed by the goddess herself to trap the darkness of the world. If we find the Mirror, it will be able to trap Zalaam's soul for all eternity. But we have to do it _before _he is able to possess someone. If he gets a body, the Mirror will not know which soul to trap. Once a soul is inside, it cannot come back out."

"Mr. Daley, you said the black sand was spreading?" the Queen asked.

"Yeah and pretty quickly from the look of it."

"Then he could rise any day now. We must travel back to Egypt immediately."

Ahk's heart skipped a beat. "We're going back to Egypt?" Under the circumstances, he shouldn't have been excited. Yet it had been so long since he'd seen his home.

"That's what she said. Aren't you paying attention? And I'm sorry, but where exactly am I involved here?" Kahmunrah asked her.

"As I told your brother, this affects the entire family. Zalaam is a very dangerous man, Kahmunrah."

Ahk could see his brother about to say something else, but Merenkahre didn't allow him to get a word out. "We do not have to justify our reasoning. If your mother did not believe you should be here, believe me, you wouldn't be."

Ahkmenrah wished he was anywhere else at the moment. He knew all too well what was about to happen and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Kahmunrah narrowed his eyes and leaned forward a bit. "Yes, I'm sure you believe that the prodigal son over here, the night guard, and his ragtag group of wax and plastic can get rid of this threat without me. But might I point out that your only plan to stop this man is based on a mere _legend? _The Mirror might not even _exist! _And even if it did, we have no _idea _where it could be!_"_

"And I'm assuming you have a better idea?"

"I would've executed the man five minutes after he walked into the palace! You let him escape!"

"Alright, both of you," the Queen interjected. "Let's just-"

"He vanished in the bat of an eye! I looked everywhere for that man! And do not _dare _blame me for this! I am your father!" Merenkahre was on his feet now. Kahmunrah did the same.

"If this is that serious, shouldn't we be on our way?" Ahkmenrah pointed out, hoping to defuse the raging storm brewing. But just like back when he'd been alive, it seemed whenever Kahmunrah and his father started shouting, he was invisible.

"You're shipping us all out to Egypt for a waste of time when Zalaam could be rising right now!" Kahmunrah's anger had made his lisp even worse now.

"Yeah, which is exactly why we should go," Larry said, getting up as well.

"The Mirror is the only thing that has a chance to-" But once again the Queen was cut off.

"Do not doubt my judgement! I ruled over Egypt for years. I know very well what to do in a crisis!" Merenkahre argued. "You have no say in this situation! You have no experience!"

"Whose fault is that?! It was you who gave the throne to Ahkmenrah even though _I _am oldest! I should've-"

A loud whistle echoed throughout the room. Everyone looked to Larry's shirt pocket.

"Ya know," Jedediah yelled. "Little ears are kinda sensitive to shoutin'."

Teddy got up. "I know it's been quite some time since you've all been in the same room with each other, but with all due respect this is no time to relive history. If a legendary Mirror is the only thing we know of that can stop this, then we've got to find it."

"And if it's not even _real?" _Kahmunrah asked.

"We're gonna have to cross that bridge if we get to it," Larry told him. "But the more time we spend here arguing, the more of a chance Zalaam has to come back and get a body."

Ahkmenrah rose to his feet with relief. From the look on her face, he could tell his mother felt the same way. Merenkahre and Kahmunrah gave each other some distance and stopped making eye contact. Kahmunrah was now glaring at Octavius and Jedediah. _At least they've stopped shouting and Larry won't be letting Jed out of his sight. Which is just what I'll be doing with my brother._

**A/N:** FINALLY we know why the sand is changing. What are we thinking? And as always thanks for any comments, favorites, and follows!


	9. Chapter 9

Jed and Octavius bounced a little in Larry's pocket as he walked. Everyone was silent after the argument as they all loaded into the truck. "It seems Kahmunrah has noticed our presence," Octavius began as Larry got behind the wheel.

Jed snorted. "He don't scare me. 'Sides, he's got his parents 'round now. Rahmenoodle can't do anything."

"Well, just to be safe, I'd make sure he doesn't hear you call him that," Larry chimed. "It might be a little awkward for me to tell Doctor McPhee that you somehow went," he paused to hold up air-quotes, _"'missing' _in Egypt."

_Yeah, right. _"He'd throw a party to celebrate." _Did that come outta my mouth? _

The car was started at this point and they were driving to the airport. "Jed, what are you talking about? McPhee wouldn't want anything bad to happen to any of you."

"Well, actually my liege, Jedediah believes that Doctor McPhee hates him. Since the Doctor has taken over as guard, the two of them haven't exactly gotten along."

"He's got it out fer me, Gigantor!" Jed told him. He felt like he had to defend himself almost since Octavius had opened his mouth. "I swear, everything I do, he flips out."

"Okay," Larry told him. "I worked for McPhee for years, I know he's hard to deal with sometimes. He likes everything clean and tends to go a little nuts when something goes wrong. _But _I also know that you don't always make things easy at night, Jed. You gotta admit that you can make a bit of a mess."

The tiny cowboy looked at Octavius, whose expression read, _"You do have to admit it." _Apparently, he wasn't getting any help there. Jed made a face at him and tried to think of a different topic. "'Ey, Gigantor, let's say this Mirror thingy does exist. How are we supposed to find it?"

"Umm," he watched Larry's hand drum on the steering wheel a little, "honestly, not quite sure yet. Kinda hoping when we get to Egypt, Merenkahre will know something else about it or somebody else will. I'd prefer it if we didn't have to just wander around the desert. My principal won't really...like that idea."

"Oh, yeah, yer a teacher now."

"A very noble career choice," Octavius chimed.

"Thanks." Larry smiled a little at that. "To be honest, a lot of the kids make me think of you guys."

Jed cocked his head to the side a little. "'Cause they're small?"

"No."

"Because they'll become great leaders in adulthood?" Octavius guessed.

"No, not that either. I mean, I don't know, maybe some of them might be, but that's not what I meant."

Jed scratched under his hat. "...They're...adventurous?"

"Of course, but that's not what I meant either." Larry explained. "I meant that as much as they drive me crazy at times, I can never stay mad at them."

Jed grinned and looked up at him. "Awww. We missed you, too, Gigantor."

"Never was there a moment where we did not think of our time together, my liege."

"A'right, let's not make it weird, Octy."

* * *

Most people believe that there is nothing worse than an eternity in the Underworld.

Kahmunrah begged to differ with most people.

His hat bumped into the side of the truck as it went over a bump in the road. He grumbled and felt it to make sure it wasn't damaged. _What ever happened to using chariots to get around? Isis, you die for a few centuries and everything changes._

The back of the truck had become a bit crowded. It now held Shepseheret, Merenkahre, Ahkmenrah, the Tablet, Dexter, Teddy, Kahmunrah, and Sir Lancelot. _Why they thought he would be any help is beyond me. _He looked over to the other side of the truck to see Ahkmenrah and the knight talking happily, making up for lost time. _Oh please, go on with your conversation. It's not like there's a major threat to the world set to arrive at any time. _

Another bump in the road and Kahmunrah had to repress a threat to the driver. His mother was in earshot, after all. _This trip is going to be the death of me...Metaphorically, of course. Here I am, stuck in a...whatever this horrid contraption was called with my father, Ahkmenrah, a dim-witted knight, Larry Daley, and a monkey! And I know I saw that loud-mouthed cowboy and his friend. And now this Zalaam character is going to rise and potentially wreak havoc on the world should he secure a body. Not to mention for all we know, we are on a fool's errand for the Mirror of Wadjet while he takes over! It might not even be real! But of course, _Father _would never admit that. Anubis _forbid _there should be a flaw in his plans! And Ra help whoever dares to point out that Zalaam would never have had the chance to rise up if he'd killed him when he had the chance. He can never make a mistake, never admit that something is his fault. Someone else is always to blame._

A soft hand touched his own and it snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned to meet his mother's bright eyes. "I've missed you, you know," she told him. "It's funny really. All those years you drove me insane, but every day I've missed you."

Kahmunrah felt his cheeks turn a bit red and glanced around to make sure no one could hear. Thankfully they were all distracted by other conversations. "What happened to you?" the Queen asked. "We were all supposed to be buried in the same tomb, but you were not there. Your brother told me that after my passing, you…" She paused and looked at the floor. "Well, it makes no difference now, I suppose. In fact, it is literally ancient history now, isn't it?" She laughed a little and it occurred to him just how much he'd missed the sound. "The point is you are here now with your family."

His scowl turned upside down a bit, and he knew there was no point in fighting it. His mother always had that effect on him, even on the worst days. "It is nice to see you again," Kahmunrah admitted. _But if Father and Ahkmenrah get lost on this horrendous adventure, it would not be the end of the world. _

His head collided with the wall again and the Queen jostled a bit. "Sorry!" they heard Larry shout front the front. "These roads suck!"

_For the love of Osiris, please let him drown in the Nile._

* * *

_"Hello?"_

"Hey, McPhee, it's Larry." He was doing his best to block out the airport noise around him. "So, I have some news that you probably won't-"

_"Good, I'm glad you called. Are those trouble-making miniatures with you? And the monkey? I can't find them anywhere."_

"Technically he's a capuchin and yeah, they all stowed away. I didn't notice till I was already in Washington."

_"Well at least I know they didn't get trapped outside somehow. But when they get back, I swear...I'm sorry, what were you going to tell me?"_

"You know how you were hoping this wouldn't be one of those save the world things?"

_"It's one of those things."_

"Yeah." He sighed.

_"How does this keep happening to you, I mean really? Anyhow, what's going on?"_

"Well it's kind of a long story, but basically we're on the way to Egypt because that black sand means some ancient enemy is coming back for revenge."

_"Of course. Well, just try not to die and let me know what happens. If something happens, I have a bunker prepared."_

"...Wait, seriously?"

_"No, that was sarcasm. I'm not crazy."_

"Right, sorry. It's been a long couple of days. I'll keep you updated."

_"I want my exhibits back in one piece."_

"Believe me, after the Tablet's magic almost died a few years ago, there's no way I'm letting anything like that happen again. Scouts honor."

_"You were a scout?"_

"No, that was sarcasm."

An overly-peppy voice echoed throughout the building: _"All passengers for flight 106 to Cairo, Egypt, your flight is now boarding. All passengers for flight 106 to Cairo, Egypt, your flight is now boarding."_

"Alright, I gotta get on my third plane this week. I'll call when I can."

_"Go on, go save the world. Try not to get heat stroke."_

"No promises."

* * *

As Larry drove his _third _rental truck across bumpy road, he was thankful that Tablet wasn't activated at the moment. _Looks like I have...a little under an hour until they all wake up. That gives me time to get some supplies. The airport was _way _too busy._

He pulled to the side of the unpaved road to a tourist shop and stepped out onto the sandy streets. The city was bustling even though the sun was close to setting. Larry stepped inside the less-crowded shop and quickly grabbed a few bags of assorted nuts and dried fruits. He found a large canteen and figured that he should probably get it, in case this trip got _really _long. As he approached the counter to pay - he'd exchanged a few dollars for Egyptian pounds at the airport - Larry looked around the rest of the shop. There were a few shelves full of ceramic animals like elephants and snakes, some packs of _Egyptian Gods and Goddesses Trading Cards _that looked similar to baseball cards, expensive ancient weapons, and... _wait a second._

In a high up display case was a hand mirror that looked to be made of pure gold. The handle looked like the head of a snake with jewels for eyes. The tag read, "Mirror of Wadjet Replica- 150 pounds". Larry's eyes widened and he looked to the clerk at the counter. "Ummm… " He waved his hand and the man looked over. "Excuse me. I'm sorry, do you...speak English?"

The man held his gaze and Larry started to worry. "You're a tourist."

"...Is it...obvious?"

He smirked a little and walked over in a polo shirt and loose pants. "Only very much. You should know that most people in Egypt are fluent in English. It's taught in most schools in the cities."

"...Oh." Well now he felt kind of stupid. "Great. Could, um, could you tell me about that Mirror on the top shelf?"

He followed Larry's gaze and Larry saw him smile a bit out of the corner of his eye. "Ah yes. It is a replica of the Mirror of Wadjet, a legendary magical artifact from ancient times. One could say it is an exact replica but...obviously, no one alive today knows what it looks like or if it was even real. But it is still quite well done."

"Yeah, it's really nice. So, what is like the whole story behind it?"

"Well, Wadjet is the goddess of protection. Legend says that the Mirror was blessed by her to protect the ancient people from dark forces. It is said to be hidden in an ancient temple dedicated to Wadjet."

"And where would you find this, this ancient temple? Hypothetically."

"It is said that the temple is located in the heart of Wadjet herself. The snakes will lead only the Protected to it."

"Snakes?" Larry parroted. "Why snakes?"

The man laughed a little and gestured to the row of display _Egyptian Gods and Goddesses Trading Cards. _Larry found the one for Wadjet and looked it over. The picture showed a slender woman dressed somewhat like Queen Shepseheret. Colorful, rainbow wings flowed from her outstretched arms. Larry, however, was focused on the fact that the goddess had a cobra for a head. "Oh! Wow, okay then. So they're like her...followers...okay."

* * *

His eyes opened to the familiar darkness. For a moment, Ahkmenrah expected to push the lid off his sarcophagus and see the museum around him. To be surrounded by his friends. But everything that had happened the past few nights came back in waves: the black sand spreading across Egypt, his brother, Zalaam…

Slowly, Ahkmenrah sat up. Everyone else was already awake, he could hear them. As if on cue, the hum of the engine stopped and within a minute, the door opened, and everyone turned to look at Larry.

"A'right, we're just outside the city and no one's around. Come on, you've been stuck back here long enough. Ahk, just watch Dexter so he doesn't run off."

"Of course." He picked up the capuchin gingerly and stepped out of the truck. The feeling of sand under his feet was so comforting. For a moment, it was as if every dark thought in his mind vanished.

And then Kahmunrah walked out and the feeling died.

"And just what city did you bring us to, Mr. Daley?" he asked in an annoyed tone...or perhaps that was just his regular tone. It was hard to tell the difference.

"Cairo. I figured it would be a good starting point. And it actually was because I know where the Mirror is. Kind of."

"...'_ Kind of'?" _he mocked.

"Here we go," Ahk mumbled to Dexter.

"How exactly do you _'kind of' _know where the Mirror is?"

"Kahmunrah, allow him to explain," the Queen told him.

"Yes, it is not like you have any idea," Merenkahre added sourly.

Kahmunrah's head snapped to look at their father, but thankfully, Larry interjected.

"I heard from one of the locals that the Mirror is in some kind of ancient temple for Wadjet."

"Here in Cairo?" Ahkmenrah questioned. _I know a few things have likely changed, but that just seems out of place for such a busy city._

Larry stuck his hands in his pocket and gave him a sheepish look. "Well, that's where the 'kind of' kicks in. The legend says, "In the heart of Wadjet, the snakes will show only the Protected to the temple."

"...And what does that mean?"

"I was hoping one of you knew."

"Didn't I say this would happen?" Kahmunrah began. "Here we are in the middle of Egypt with no idea where to go or what we're doing. Meanwhile, there's a very powerful man who's already angry with us - or, more specifically, _you," _he gestured angrily to Merenkahre, who scowled in response, "and wants to take over the world."

"This is no time to lose our heads," Teddy said. _I'm not sure how my brother could lose something so large. _"If we want to get to Zalaam before he rises or worse, gets someone's body, we need to put doubt aside and try to find this Mirror." Ahkmenrah saw his brother glare at him before looking at the ground. "Say it again, Lawrence, in pieces. Maybe we can figure it out that way."

"The temple is in the heart of Wadjet."

There was a moment of quiet as he waited for someone to say something. Ahkmenrah rubbed the back of his neck with the hand that wasn't holding Dexter. "Well...Wadjet watched over Lower Egypt, which Cairo is a part of. But if that's right, it could be anywhere in the Lower part. We don't have that kind of time."

He heard his mother make a kind of "hmmm" sound and turned to her. "But Cairo is not the capital. Memphis is. I would think that if the heart of Wadjet lied anywhere, it would be in the capital of her land."

"Then we'll start there," Larry said. "And the snakes will lead the Protected to the temple. I know the snakes are because Wadjet has a...snake for a head."

"But who are the Protected?" Teddy asked.

"Wadjet's gift was to watch over women in childbirth and the great kings of Egypt," Merenkahre explained. "I believe it means that her snakes will show either myself or Ahkmenrah the way to the temple."

Ahkmenrah smiled but could feel his brother's eyes glaring daggers at him.

"Alright," Larry said with a clap of his hands. "Let's head to Memphis, then. The sooner we find this temple, the sooner we can stop Zalaam from coming back."

"Victory is at hand!" Lancelot cheered.

"That's the spirit." Teddy smiled.

After taking a few minutes to stretch, they all got back inside the truck as Larry started them on their way. Ahkmenrah smiled as Lancelot sat next to him again. "Well, I bet you're glad to be back here. Egypt is very unlike anything I've even seen."

"Yes, it is. Don't misunderstand, I love the museum and when all this is through, I'll be glad to go back. But it's been a long time since I've seen my home."

"Were you even in this Memphis?"

"Oh, yes, quite a few times. We traveled around a lot of Egypt during Father's reign, but never too far from the Nile...that's the river," Ahk added, seeing his confused look. "Memphis has a wonderful location; it sits right on the west bank. Some past pharaohs even built their palace there. I remember it was always just full of activity: erecting new temples to the Gods, constructing new statues. I remember a few times when I was younger, Mother and Father would let Kahmunrah and I go explore while they oversaw the construction. We used to get a couple of boats and race down the Nile...he always won." Ahkmenrah leaned in so no one else could hear and whispered, "I think he cheated somehow."

"Your brother doesn't seem like someone who would accept losing," Lancelot told him quietly.

"You can say that again."

"...Oh, I thought you could still hear me. I said that your brother doesn't seem like-"

"I heard you, Lance, it's an expression." Ahk put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a weak smile.

"Oooh, right. He really is a grump, though. Does he ever smile?"

"If he does, it means Larry's probably dead."

He changed the topic and explained more of Egypt to Lance. It was a relatively quick trip given that Cairo was only about twelve miles from Memphis. When rumbling of the truck stopped and Larry opened the door again, Ahkmenrah could see that the sky was dark but full of stars. The sand crunched under his feet, but he didn't take a step. His eyes widened in pure shock of what he saw...or rather what he _didn't _see.

There was no city. No temples. Nothing but..._ nothing _.

A firm hand grabbed his shoulder and pushed him to the side as Kahmunrah climbed out. "Get out of the way, you...what in the name of Osiris?"

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Lancelot mumbled at his side. Ahkmenrah was too shocked to answer him,

He knew he was dead. He knew that thousands upon thousands of years had passed since his death. He knew things were likely to have changed somewhat in that time.

But now as he looked at the emptiness that held so many memories, Ahkmenrah felt as if he was learning those things for the first time again.

He noticed Larry looking at him with a bit of concern. "...Is there anything remaining?"

Larry used his phone and the ever-confusing Google to find out the answer. "Looks like a few temples and statues are still around, but I'm not sure if we'll run into them." He paused for a moment before speaking in a soft tone. "I'm...sorry, guys. I know this must be really scary for you."

Ahk looked at his family. Kahmunrah's eyes were wide and had a far-off look to them. His father just seemed rather confused, and he understood why. His mother sighed after another minute and broke the silence. "On the contrary, Mr. Daley, the ruins of an ancient city would make a very good hiding place for Wadjet's temple."

Merenkahre cleared his throat. "Yes, I believe we are in the right place. Now all we must do is find a snake to lead us to its location."

"Then we'd better get going if we want to find one," Teddy chimed.

"...So, we're just going to drive around until we find a snake?" Larry asked.

"No, I'm just going to pull one out of my hat," Kahmunrah snapped. "Abracadabra."

"Kahmunrah," the Queen warned, and Ahk saw her give him a stern look.

As they all got ready to go once again, Ahkmenrah took another look at the ruins that once held so much life and culture. _I can't believe it, _he thought sadly. _Everything I grew up with, everything I've known is just…_

_History._


	10. Chapter 10

As Nick got off of his motorcycle, he fought the urge to kick it over. _Apparently, I'm not even qualified to be a _janitor. _A _janitor! Mentally kicking himself for not doing better at the interview, he walked into the apartment building. The second he put his key into the lock, fear set in. The rent would be due soon, and he was running out of money. _Fast._

Once inside the somewhat messy apartment, he sat on the couch and rubbed the back of his neck, nervously. _I gotta find a job, or I'm gonna lose this place. I _can't _move back in with Mom; she'll kill me. And I'm over twenty, I shouldn't be living with my parents anymore! _

_But I can't even get a job mopping up floors..._

_How am I gonna keep taking Alexa out? She's not the easiest person to say "no" to. I can't lose her _and _the apartment in one shot. _He sighed and rubbed the sides of his forehead. _What the hell am I gonna do?_

After a minute, he knew there was only one thing he _could _do. Nick sighed again and took out his phone. His fingers automatically typed his dad's phone number. As he put it to his ear and hoped for an answer, he started to plan out what to say. _Just be honest. Just say, "Dad, I'm really sorry about the other day. You were right and I was being stupid. I'm really screwed right now, can you forgive me and maybe give me a hand?"_

_...Of course he can forgive me, _he thought nervously. _He's my _dad. _He has to._

_Right?_

_...Is he really not gonna answer me? Is he still mad? _Guilt was rising up inside of him like it was about to drown him.

_"We're sorry," _said a robotic female voice. _"But the person you are trying to reach is out of cellular range. Goodbye."_

Nick raised a brow and looked at his now blank phone. "Out of range?" he repeated. _Where the heck could he be that doesn't have cell service? Did he forget to mention his trip to the _moon _or something?_

He tossed his phone on the cushion next to him and sat back. Now reality was really starting to set in. Now he was jobless with bills on their way and a girlfriend to please. Now he'd blown his money on a glorified bicycle. Now he was just...lost. He was confused and didn't know how to get out of the situation without losing something.

Now he really needed his dad.

* * *

As far as the truck's headlights shone, there was only sand: no trees, no people, and unfortunately, no snakes. They were deep into the desert now and there were no trails or roads. Larry's eyes scanned every which way to look for any sign of a snake. _Do they even come out at night? _For once, he was wishing the museum had had a snake exhibit so he would know more about them.

"Hey, Gigantor," Jed began, snapping him out of his focus.

"Hmm?"

"What are we gonna do if we can't find one of these darned things?"

"Don't say that, Jedediah!" Octavius told him. "We must stay positive."

"We're just gonna have to hope we find one, Jed," Larry said.

"Yeah, but this Zalaam guy could come back any minute."

_"Positive," _the Roman miniature repeated. "Good things are sure to come if we try to think on the bright side."

"That's the spirit, Octavius," Larry told him. "There's gotta be a snake somewhere."

"Yeah," Jed conceded. "This sure is a big desert though."

He had a point. If they didn't find a snake by the time the sun came up, they could be in trouble. They had a time limit but had no idea how much time they had to spare. But at the rate the sand had been spreading on the news, it probably wasn't long at all.

Larry was snapped out of his thoughts again as the truck started to slow. _What? Why is it...oh no._

"Uhh...Gigantor?" Jed asked. "I ain't no licensed driver, but my gut says that when that there needle is on the 'E', it don't mean 'Excellent'."

"Come on," Larry mumbled as if he was praying. "Please no, not right now. Come on, _please."_

Unfortunately, the truck came to a slow, death-like stop and Larry hit his head against the steering wheel.

"Why are we stopping?" Ahkmenrah asked from the back. "Do you see a snake?"

"If you do, I say we feed this horrid little monkey to it to gain its trust," Kahmunrah told him.

"For the last time, we are not sacrificing your brother's pet to anything," the Queen said firmly.

"It was just an idea, Mother," Kahmunrah explained in a more pleasant I'm-using-this-tone-of-voice-to-avoid-my-mother's-fury kind of way.

"This is not happening," Larry chanted quietly. "This is not happening, this is not happening, we don't have time for this…" He let out a frustrated sigh and started his way to the back of the now useless truck.

"'Think positive', ya said," Jed mocked. "'It'll make things better', ya said."

"How was I supposed to know this would happen?"

"Guys, just chill out," Larry said. _I feel like that's not going to work on the rest of them. _The moon was still high in the sky. The night was still young. They were definitely going to need the time now. He opened the back and started to feel a headache coming on. "So," he began, staring down at the sand, "The van is out of, um...fuel...and we're in the middle of the desert."

"I'm not exactly a genius when it comes to automobiles," Teddy admitted. "But I get the feeling you mean that we'll be walking the rest of the journey."

An echo of groaning and complaining followed, but nothing much. _Looks like I'm not gonna be able to get the deposit back on this truck… _"We still have a lot of time before sunrise. We can find a snake before that, I'm sure." Octavius was right, they needed to stay strong. He had to keep up the moral. There was a strong enemy coming any moment. Nothing could get in the way between them and the Mirror. "Everyone just keep your eyes out for a snake. The sooner we get one, the sooner we get to the Temple."

Larry walked behind the rest of them, so he was able to see everyone at once. Lance and Ahkmenrah were still catching up. Merenkahre and Shepseheret walked together, but few words were exchanged. It seemed that was just how their relationship worked. Kahmunrah walked alone, somewhat distant for the rest. Dexter was roaming freely and seemed to be enjoying the feeling of sand under his paws. Teddy walked a little in front of Larry but stopped for a minute so they were now side by side. "I don't know a lot about Egyptian gods," he began, "but I think it's fair to say they don't like you very much based on the luck you're having."

"Wouldn't surprise me," Larry replied. "I'm half Jewish, remember? I just hope we find this Mirror before Zalaam comes back and finds a body to take over."

"Very true." They walked on for a minute before the wax president changed the subject. "So, what have you been doing these last few years? I know you said you teach now, but beyond that. How is young Nicholas?"

Larry's stomach flipped. "Umm...Nick is, uh.."

Teddy arched a brow at his hesitation. "Nothing's happened to him, has it?"

"No, no, he's, he's not hurt or anything. It's just ...we're not in the best place right now, me and him."

"Really? I must say, that's a surprise. You always seemed to have such a close relationship."

"He's just...I don't know what he's thinking! I thought he was doing good, you know, on his own. I invite him over and suddenly he's like, 'Oh, I lost my job and bought a motorcycle to appease my girlfriend', who I think he's been dating for, what, six months? I thought he was really starting to grow up and mature. Then we got into this fight and now he hasn't talked to me since."

"I see."

"I just- what am I supposed to do? He's making a mess of his future! How is he supposed to pay rent? I mean, he's gonna be throwing out application after application and just get rejected. He might even get evicted unless he lands some job like a dishwasher, or janitor...He just doesn't seem to know what he's doing anymore."

"Well, with all due respect, Lawrence, you were once in the same position," Teddy said with a wise look in his eyes. "I seem to recall that when you first arrived at the museum, you were -in simple terms- a quitter. You took the position simply because you needed money, and yet you walked out on it twice before the week was up. You had no idea how to take control or hone your leadership skills...Scratch that: You had no leadership skills."

"Is this advice or are you just tearing into me, or-"

"A bit of both, but I have a point. You were nearly at rock bottom when you arrived at the museum. Yet in the time since then, you have been put to the test countless times and have risen to the occasion. You saved the Tablet on more than one occasion, not to mention the lives of nearly everyone present and then some. Nicholas is now at the same point you began at all those years ago. What I'm trying to say is that life is an endless road of ups and downs. Sometimes you have to hit desperation before you start to really know where to go in life." He put a firm gloved hand on his shoulder. "Don't be too hard on the boy. I'm sure he'll work it out."

"I hope you're right...Maybe I'll try to give him a call when all this is - _Dexter!"_

But it was too late. Dexter had already thrown the ball of sand and he could only watch as it hurtled straight at the back of Kahmunrah's head. His hat toppled off of his head and onto the ground. Larry looked at Ahkmenrah and saw a look of pure fear. Everyone stopped in their tracks. Kahmunrah slowly looked over his shoulder with a look that could make a grown man have an accident. His eyes were full of unbridled fury.

_...Aww crap._

_"That's it, you little-"_

The second he started to run towards the capuchin, Dexter bolted. Before Kahmunrah could take more than three steps, Lancelot was behind him, doing his best to hold him back. _Aw crap, aw crap, aw crap, aw crap. _In a second, Larry had the older Egyptian's other arm but found it wasn't easy to restrain him even with Lancelot's help. In that moment, chaos broke out.

"My God, man, it's just a hat!" Lance shouted.

"We're in a bit of a time sensitive situation!" Larry shouted. Both of them were mainly drowned out by Kahmunrah's shouting.

"Try counting to ten!" Lancelot suggested.

"This is exactly why we shouldn't have brought him along!" Merenkahre yelled to his wife over the present shouts. Larry saw the Queen quietly but furiously try to refute his point.

"Dexter, get back here _right now!" _Ahkmenrah was chasing around the animal responsible for this.

"This is no time to lose out heads!" Teddy shouted while trying to also round up the capuchin.

From his pocket, Larry heard Jedediah attempt to whistle like he did back at the British Museum, but it didn't work over all the noise. All over their voices combined into one giant sound to the point where Larry had no idea what anyone else was even saying.

_"This arguing will stop right NOW, or SO HELP ME, RA!"_

Just as quickly as the shouting began, it stopped the instant Queen Shepseheret raised her voice. Kahmunrah froze so quickly it was if he'd turned to stone. Larry and Lance looked at each other, as if they were mentally asking each other if they should let him go or not. Without a word, they figured that they should wait until they knew he wasn't going to break Dexter's neck.

The Queen flared her nostrils and exhaled loudly. Everyone watched as she walked over and grabbed Dexter, who had finally stopped running when she'd shouted. Merenkahre looked a few shades paler. She then went to collect Kahmunrah's hat and brushed it off a bit. Still, no one made a sound. "Thank you, gentlemen, but you may release my son now. I assure you," Larry saw her give a look to Kahmunrah that made the former nightguard shiver a bit. "He will no longer be any trouble." He and Lance did as she asked. "Mr. Daley," her voice was quieter but still firm. "If you would take this creature from now on so he causes no further incident, it would be very helpful."

Larry reached out and took Dexter. He honestly had no idea what to say. _I didn't know she got... _angry.

"And as for you." She'd turned her attention back to Kahmunrah. "Control. Your. _Temper _. You should not have to be physically _restrained _just because a monkey throws a bit of sand at you."

_Holy cow, this is the quietest he's ever been. _On top of that, Kahmunrah didn't seem to be able to look his mother in the eyes. His cheeks were an odd shade of pink.

"If you have forgotten, a very powerful man is threatening not only our old home and our family but very likely, the entire world. I do not believe a monkey is worth risking those things. Do you disagree?"

Kahmunrah cleared his throat a bit and mumbled, "No, Mother."

_Man, I wish I could film this, _Larry thought. Seeing Kahmunrah squirm was quite entertaining.

"That's what I thought. I trust that we will not have this discussion again?"

"No, Mother."

"Very good." She handed his hat back to him, finally, and he replaced it back onto his head. The Queen looked around to the rest of them and concluded, "Now let us all carry on and keep our eyes out for a snake, alright?" There was a mix of nodding and mumbled agreement.

And they did. Everyone went back to what they were doing for the most part. Once Kahmunrah was out of earshot, Larry saw the Queen turn to him with a somewhat exhausted attempt at a smile. "I must apologize for that, Mr. Daley," she began as they too started to walk along. "I'm afraid my oldest son is, umm..." She searched for a word. "I believe a more modern term would be a 'hot head'?"

"Yeah, that about sums it up." The Queen beamed a little, marveling at her use of terminology. Larry decided that this was a great opportunity to talk to the Queen about a few things that had been on his mind. Though he'd be lying if he said he wasn't still somewhat intimidated by the fact that she was a royal. "So, umm...your highness?"

"Oh, there's no need for formalities," she said. "You saved my family. You may call me Shepseheret."

"I'll make a note of that."

She gave him a confused look. "But you do not seem to have anything to write on."

"What? Oh, no, no, it's an expression meaning I'll, like, try to remember that."  
"Ahh, I see. Modern language is very interesting."

"Yeah. So, I was wondering, um, could I ask you a question?"

"But of course."

"Umm...Kahmunrah and Ahk...have they always been-"

"At each other's throats?" she finished knowingly. He nodded and she shook her head. "No, not always. Tell me, Mr. Daley, do you have siblings?" Again, Larry shook his head. "Hmm. Well, you see, as children, Kahmunrah and Ahkmenrah were much different from how you see them today. Yes, they had arguments, but they also had good moments. There was a balance to their relationship.

"Now I will say that they were far from the best of friends. Honestly, I think the main problem with their relationship is that...well, I don't think it was really... _completed, _I suppose. By the time Ahkmenrah was born, Kahmunrah had already begun studying to become Pharaoh. He was always busy, so they never really had time to really just be children and form a bond. At least, that's what I believe.

"As they got older, things worsened. I think he is correct, Mr. Daley, in saying we favored Ahkmen in a way….Well, perhaps 'favor' is not the correct term for it. It makes it sounds like we did it knowingly, and that certainly wasn't the case. I think it was more that we simply did not expect as much from Ahkmenrah. Kahmunrah was going to be the one to inherit the throne, and therefore we held him to a higher standard. He was not able to, shall we say, 'get away with murder' as his brother was because he would one day rule the kingdom. Does that make sense?" For the third time, Larry nodded. He really wasn't sure what to do otherwise.

"But from his perspective, I can see how he would think that we were favoring Ahkmenrah. This was when it started to worsen. The boyish arguing turned to full on fighting. Sometimes...physical ones. I know what you are thinking, Mr. Daley," The Queen said, taking notice of Larry's shocked look. "Ahkmenrah has never struck his brother first, but he will certainly defend himself. Anyhow, it finally came to its worst once Merenkahre decided that Ahkmenrah would inherit both the Tablet _and _the throne." She paused for a moment, as if the memory was replaying before her eyes.

"...I'm assuming that lead to another fight?"

She shook her head. "Even worse, I'm afraid. Sometimes words hurt more than fists. No, once Merenkahre made that choice, Kahmunrah claimed that he no longer had a brother at all. And he meant it, Mr. Daley. For the rest of my life and Merenkahre's, Kahmunrah never spoke to him unless we forced him to."

"But he's doing it now."

"Well, I think that's because of the situation. Necessity. Or perhaps, it's been so long since he said that he forgot about it. It's very clear to see, however, that he still does not consider Ahkmen to be his brother. It...it is sad to say...but I fear that if this is still the way things are between my sons after so much time...perhaps it will never get better."


	11. Chapter 11

Ahkmenrah walked alongside Lancelot, quietly. Lance was telling him a story about Trixie, but Ahk couldn't seem to stay focused on it as hard as he tired. No matter what, his eyes remained on his brother.

Kahmunrah was walking alone, a bit farther away from the rest of them. He'd said nothing at all for at least the past half hour, but it was clear he was angry. If he knew one thing about his older brother, it was that he was the angriest he could be when he was silent.

_He's always mad about something, _Ahkmenrah thought. _I could probably count the occasions when he hasn't been on just one hand. And all of those were before...well…_

Old memories began to bubble up, ones that he had long forced back: the arguments, the fighting, the toll it took on the family. He remembered vividly the moment when their father had decided it would be him that would inherit the throne. Kahmunrah's eyes were full of fury as he stared right back into his as he said the final sentence he would to him for years: _"I have no brother". _

He sighed and looked at Kahmunrah again. _I wish I could make this better_, Ahk told him mentally. _I want you to be happy. I want to _make _you happy. I must have apologized to you thousands of times, but you refused to even look at me! And I'm _still _not sure what you even want from me. I did not _ask _to become pharaoh! To have all that pressure and responsibility was actually the last thing I wanted. I tried to change Father's mind, you know I did._

_I don't know what you want me to do…_

_Do you know I would do anything to change this? _he wondered. _Anything. If there was a way to turn back time, I would in a moment so I could make this better. I want you to like me again. I want you to want to be around me. _

_I want to have a_ brother _again. _

Another sigh as Lancelot rambled on. _It doesn't matter, I suppose. It's not going to change. _You _aren't going to change. You will _never _apologize for anything you did to me or to anyone, and if you did, I fear it would mark the end of the world. _

_When this is over, we will go back to how it was before. We won't see each other again._

_Maybe _that _will make you happy. _

"But then," Lance continued. "Just as I was lecturing Trixie about how wrong it was to chase after that ceramic frog, she made the _cutest _little face. You know, I just can't stay mad at-" He was interrupted as the strong breeze blew a piece of his hair into this mouth. Ahkmenrah couldn't help but giggle a bit. "I can't help it," the knight told him. "The wind's blowing it everywhere."

"Yes, it does seem to have picked up...suddenly...Lance, hold on."

Both of them stopped walking, and his friend gave him a concerned look. "What is it?"

_I remember this, _Ahk thought. _Sometimes...when the wind would pick up like this, it would lead to-_

"What in the world are you stopping for?" Kahmunrah asked, having chosen _that _moment to glance over his shoulder for probably the first time. Ahkmenrah looked up and his eyes widened in horror. But it wasn't because of his brother.

"If I'm not mistaken, we're in a bit of a _crisis,_ are we not?" But a gust of wind nearly knocked the hat off Kahmunrah's head, and he turned forwards again.

An enormous wall of dust was racing towards them.

"Everyone get down!" the Queen shouted. "It's a _sandstorm!"_

As if on cue, the sand started to swirl around them, and the storm approached even faster. Ahkmenrah got to his knees and Lancelot did the same. He closed his eyes to keep the burning sand out of them and covered his nose with his hands. Within a moment, the wind was howling, and sand was brushing against him. _And just when you think things can't get any worse._

* * *

The sand was blinding and was starting to sting his eyes, but Jed's main focus was hanging onto Larry's pocket. One hand was hanging on for life while the other held his hat that had nearly blown away. Once the wind had picked up, they'd nearly fallen out of the pocket. Now Octavius was clinging to one of his boots, his cape flailing in the wind and Jed was gripping Larry's pocket like his life depended on it. If he let go, they'd be carried off in an instant. He wanted to get Larry's attention somehow, but if he opened his mouth it would fill with sand for sure. _Just hold on, _he repeated like a mantra. _Just hold on. _

As best as he could, he looked over his shoulder at Octavius. The Roman had a panicked expression and both of his hands were clutching Jed's boot. His cape was blowing every which way behind him. _Don't lose your grip, partner. We just gotta hold out fer a while longer and it'll be over. Please, just don't let go._

His knuckles turned white as he tried to hold on through the strongest gust of wind so far. His teeth were gritting in his mouth.

Jed didn't realize the moment when he lost his grip, it was so quick. In a split second he was flying through the air. Through the sand, he saw Larry and the others get smaller and smaller.

* * *

Kahmunrah held his hat tightly with one of his hands. The wind was powerful, and his hair was flying everywhere, the gold bits rattling against his back. With his other hand he was covering his nose and mouth like his parents instructed him when he was young. Sandstorms only lasted a few minutes, usually, and of course this one was no different. Just as quickly as it came, it vanished as if nothing had even happened.

Slowly, he opened his eyes. The sand was settled, and the storm was out of sight. He could see Ahkmenrah curled up under Lancelot's arms. His father was shielding his mother. Dexter - who Kahmunrah wished had blown away with the storm - was with Teddy. Larry looked up from his crouching position and rose to his feet, the rest following suit.

"Well," his mother said, brushing off her pearl white dress. "I think that's_ one_ part of Egypt I do not miss."

"You can say that again," Ahkmenrah agreed.

"Wow, sand really does get everywhere," Larry added. He watched as the night guard emptied out his pocket, which was now full of said sand. For some reason, the man visibly paled.

"Lawrence?" Teddy asked.

Without a word, Larry started to wave the light from his flash light around on the ground. _For the love of Osiris, what is wrong with him? _Just to add to the others' confusion, Larry got onto his knees and started to move the sand around underneath him in some sort of panic.

"Mr. Daley, have you misplaced something?" Queen Shepseheret asked in a concerned tone.

Larry froze and looked up with wide eyes. "They're gone."

_"What _is gone?" Kahmunrah asked. He was quickly losing his patience...whatever patience he had left, that was.

"Jed and Octavius were in my pocket, and now they're, they're just _gone._"

"What?" Ahkmenrah asked frantically. _Always getting himself into a panic, of course._

"Are you sure?" Lancelot said.

"I don't know, I don't see them anywhere." Clearly Ahkmenrah wasn't the only one freaking out. "Guys, no one move around, they could be anywhere. Look around your feet."

"Lawrence," Teddy began in a grim voice. "I'm sorry to say but with the speed of those winds, it's likely they were carried off into the desert."

Not caring about the conversation, Kahmunrah was working on getting the sand out from underneath his nails. _Well, the monkey may still be around but at least we got rid of that loud-mouthed cowboy. Perhaps there is a silver lining. _

"We've got to go find them."

Kahmunrah's head snapped to look at Ahkmenrah. "...There must be sand in my ears. You did not just say that."

He gestured to the desert in front of them. "Who knows where they could've landed. If we don't get them back, they'll become dust at sunrise!"

"Oh, stop being so dramatic."

_"Dramatic?"_

"Yes, dramatic. If you have not noticed, we are in the middle of a desert and they are _this big_." Kahmunrah made their height with his fingers to illustrate the point. "It would take _hours _to find them, perhaps even days, and if you've forgotten we are in a bit of a time sensitive issue at the moment."

"Well, we can't just _leave _them!"

"Of _course _we can!" Kahmunrah shouted, approaching the younger Egyptian. By this time, his temper was beginning to flare.

"They're my friends, how can we just abandon them?!"

"Ahkmenrah is right," Lancelot cut in. "It is our duty to protect the small and defense-"

"Oh, stay out of this, you moron," Kahmunrah snapped.

"Kahmunrah!" his mother shouted.

"Don't speak to him like that!" Ahkmenrah shouted. _Oh, dear, I've made the pampered prince angry. Now I'm in for it._

"Enough of this foolishness. We are losing moonlight."

"For the last time, we are going after Octavius and Jedediah!"

Kahmunrah snarled and felt as if he was talking to a brick wall. "Have you _honestly _been in this museum of yours so long that you've lost touch with _reality?" _he shouted. "They. Are. _Plastic. _They aren't real people! I cannot _believe_ you are actually risking the fate of Egypt and possibly the _world _for something you can _replace!"_

Ahkmenrah's mouth was hanging open.

"We are going on as planned. We're finding a snake, getting the Mirror, and stopping Zalaam. End of story. You'll just have to get another Jeremiah and Octowhatever when this is all over." He turned away and took a step before Ahkmenrah spoke again.

"Turn around."

Flaring his nostrils, Kahmunrah turned to face him again. He'd barely put his foot in the sand again before a fist collided with the left side of his jaw. The force of the impact nearly knocked him off balance and he stumbled back a bit.

_"Ahkmen!" _the Queen shrieked.

Kahmunrah looked back at him with wide eyes, touching the side of his face that was now stinging. A furious finger was just an inch or so from his nose.

"Now you listen to me, Brother." Ahkmenrah growled. "My friends are not _replaceable _and no matter what you say they are in fact _very _real. And I will not stand here in silence while you _insult _them and suggest I simply abandon them. Now, you may do what you wish, but the Tablet is coming with me. So, unless you want to wander the desert alone and turn to dust in a few hours' time, I suggest you remain _silent _and come along."

Kahmunrah could only stand there in utter shock.

"Alright, alright, let's both take a step back and relax," Teddy said as he approached them and stood in between them. "Fighting isn't getting us anywhere. We need to think about this rationally. Now, Ahkmenrah, you are correct. We should at least try and go find our friends. However, Kahmunrah also has a point that we are in a very serious situation and we cannot stray too far from our current mission. Therefore, I suggest we take three hours to search for them. No more, no less. If we can't find them in that time," he paused and placed his hand on Ahkmenrah's shoulder. "Then we have to carry on. As tragic as the situation is, the fact is we have limited time and they are very small people in a very big land. Zalaam could rise at any moment. And we have to find some kind of shelter before the sun comes up."

Ahkmenrah sighed. "...I understand."

Teddy gave him a faint smile and clapped him on the back. "We'd better get looking then."

"Kahmunrah, come here, dear. Let me see your face. Oh, it's not even swelling, that's good," his mother cooed. But he barely noticed her. The only thing that kept replaying in his mind was the way Ahkmenrah had just spoken to him and how he still felt a slight sting on his face. It was as if his brain was trying to convince itself that what just happened...had really happened.

"Does it hurt very much? Do you want me to kiss it?"

That snapped him into reality. "No, no. I'm fine, Mother, really."

**A/N: **A slightly shorter chapter, yes, but the next part...there's some parts that can't be cut up in between two chapters. What are we all thinking? And as always, thank you for comments, favs and follows!


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: **HI HELLO YES I AM SO SORRY  
I did not mention this because I didn't think it would change the updating schedule, but I am doing NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). And because of how much I have had to work on my original novel now, I TOTALLY forgot to update! I'm sorry, here it is. Don't worry, this won't be a trend. Thank you for your patience.

Jedediah had sort of blacked out after he'd let go of Larry. When he snapped back into the real world all he saw was darkness. He tried to take in a breath but found it to be impossible. Fear set in quickly. _Octavius! Where's Octavius?! Where the hell am _I? He moved around and felt something familiar in his hands.

_Sand! I'm in the sassafrassin' _sand!

He started to flail around, trying to see just how deep he was. His legs seemed to be somewhat free, but that meant he'd fallen in the sand upside down! Jed started to kick, hoping that would help his situation. Now he was sure that the Tablet gave him lungs because they _really _needed air.

A pair of hands suddenly seized his left foot and started to pull, almost taking off his boot. Jed felt himself moving upwards slowly, and once his arms were nearly out of the sand, he was able to lift his head up and take a deep breath. When he did, the hand let go of his boot and he was able to sit back on his knees. _I hate sand. I officially really. Hate. Sand. _He grabbed his hat from the sand and brushed it off. A familiar voice filled him with happiness.

"Why is it," Octavius began, "that whenever we find ourselves in the presence of Kahmunrah, you manage to get stuck in the sand?"

"Those things do seem to go t'gether, don't they?" Jed said once he'd caught his breath. He got up and brushed himself off, then looked at his friend. "Wait, how come you ain't all sandy?"

"Well, I managed to hang onto your boot until we started falling to the ground, by some miracle. Once that happened, I used my cape as a parachute and landed safely on the ground not far from you."

"...Remember all those times I mocked the way you dress?"

"Vaguely."

"Well I really do regret that now."

With that, Jed looked around at their surroundings. Well, as much as he could, given that it was literally just sand. "How far out do you sup'ose that storm carried us?"

"I'm not sure, but I certainly hope that our friends are nearby."

Jed cupped his hands around his mouth and called out, "Gigantor?! Ahk?!"

Octavius followed. "Ahkmenrah? Teddy?"

They waited and listened closely for any sign that someone had heard them. The silence was deafening. Both of them called out for a few more minutes before Octavius spoke again. "I'm afraid we are too far for them to hear us. The storm could have carried us anywhere in the desert."

Jedediah looked over the sandy plain again, hoping to see some sign of hope. He sighed and rubbed his neck, looking down at his shoes. "Man, I sure am sorry, Octavius."

"...What do you mean?"

He wasn't able to look the Roman in the eyes. "I shoulda listened. To you and to Gigantor...and maybe even McPhee. We shoulda stayed in the museum. Now cuz o' me, we're stuck on here and no one knows where we are. The sun's gonna come up in a few hours and..."

A moment passed in silence when a hand seized his shoulder. Jedediah looked into his friend's eyes. "If that is the case," he began. "Then there is no one I would rather watch the sunrise with." And he somehow managed to smile at the cowboy. That was something Jed always liked about him: Even in the worst times, Octavius always found a way to smile, and they turned out to be highly contagious.

"...Thanks, Octy."

"Besides," the Roman clapped him on the back. "The night is not over yet. Perhaps there is still a way for us to get back to our friends."

"Ya think?"

"We may as well try, right?"

The smile Octavius had given him grew on Jed's face. "Man, what would I do without ya, partner?"

"Probably get stuck in some sand."

"Have I said lately how much I hate sand now?"

"You may have mentioned it." Octavius changed the subject back to the matter at hand. "Perhaps we could write some kind of S.O.S in it with our feet. There should be enough moonlight for them to see it if we make it big enough."

"Ya think that'll work?"

"It's all I can think of, honestly."

With that, they began to work. Jedediah dragged his foot around in the sand to make one 'S' while Octavius worked on the other, and they planned to meet in the middle of the 'O'. _Sure hope I'm makin' this big enough, _Jed thought as he started the lower curve on his letter. He looked over at Octavius to see if his was the same size, but lost interest in it quickly. In the distance behind his friend, something was moving around in the darkness. "Octavius."

"Yes, I know my 'S' is a bit messy, but it's the best I can do with my foot."

"No, _look." _He pointed to the mysterious creature that was keeping its head to the ground.

The Roman looked over his shoulder. "From what I can see," he said after a moment, "That animal has too much of a bushy tail to be Dexter."

Fear was starting to set in. "What sorta creatures do ya think are out here?"

"I'm not sure. But I will tell you it's larger than us and coming this way."

"We'll come on, let's run for it!"

"_No_," Octavius told him quickly. "I don't think it has noticed us yet, but if we move, it will. Stay right where you are."

"Well, what are s'pposed ta-" Jed was cut off mid-sentence. A pair of eyes were glowing in the shadows and staring right at him.

"...I think it can hear us," Octavius whispered.

As the animal got closer, he could see two large, pointy ears and a long, bushy tail. It had a kind of tan, sandy colored fur coat. Its nose was pointed, and it was about the size of a small dog, but it still towered over the museum miniatures. Its white paws bounded over to them quickly. _Me an' my big mouth._

"Jedediah, come over by me and whatever you do, remain calm," Octavius ordered. Picking up on the seriousness in his voice, Jed did just that without a word. The animal trotted over to investigate them.

"What's the plan?" Jed whispered.

"Do you recall the squirrel from the Smithsonian?"

"...Oh, yeah. That was cool."

"Let's just hope it works on...whatever this thing is."

With that, he straightened and approached the animal. Jed watched as he removed his cape and tossed it in front of him, lightly. The animal walked over and lowered its head to smell it. As it did, Octavius slowly took another step and reached out to touch it. Jed held his breath, but the animal did nothing but continue to examine the cape. He sighed as Octavius started to stroke its nose. When he did, the animal's eyes grew wider and a strange sound filled the air.

"Is it...purrin'?" Jed asked.

"I think that would be the word for it, yes."

Jed got closer and without warning, Octavius took hold of his hand with his free one. He started petting up higher, toward the creature's forehead. After a moment, he dared to climb onto its nose as it continued to purr. It's eyes followed them, and it began to raise its head up. Jed quickly snatched the cape back up before following Octavius, who still had his hand. Within a minute, they were both seated between the animal's long ears. Jed handed him the cape. "That was mighty brave, walking up to this...whatever this is like that."

"Thank you." The Roman smiled. "With such large ears, I bet this animal could hear our friends very easily."

"Ya got a point there. Only thing is, we don't know which direction they could be in."

"Well, let's think logically...I believe we were traveling Northwest, and the wind was blowing...Yes, I believe that direction is the best try." He pointed to the right.

Jed shrugged. "If you think so, then let's get this thing movin' and find 'em."

"Onward, strange fluffy creature!" And with that, they started off into the desert with high hopes.

"...Hey, Octavius?"

"Yes?"

"You, uh_..._you can let go a' my hand if you wanna."

"Hmm-_ oh! _Yes, now that we're safely on the-" He cleared his throat and let go of the cowboy's hand.

* * *

Larry had probably checked his wristwatch twenty-seven times in the last two minutes or so. It had been well over an hour and he was really beginning to worry. _I should've been holding onto them. Of _course _the wind would have carried them off, why didn't I realize?! _His hands were cupped around his mouth as he called out for what felt like the thousandth time. "Jedediah?! Octavius!" Larry's voice combined with the shouts of everyone around him.

Through the yelling, he could pick out Kahmunrah's voice as the Egyptian half-heartedly shouted, "Annoying cowboy...Slightly less annoying Roman…" He had a feeling that he was only doing_ that_ much to appease his mother.

_We have to find them. We _can't_ go back to the museum without them. I couldn't live with myself if I knew that they turned to dust because of me. _

"Octavius, Jedediah, where are you?!" Ahkmenrah called desperately.

_Man, Kahmunrah is lucky his brother hit him before I did, because if he hadn't, some Egyptian teeth would be in the sand, _Larry thought as he continued to shout. _They may be wax, plastic, or whatever they are, but that doesn't mean they aren't _alive. _God, they're like family to me! Then again, I think Kahmunrah has a distorted definition of the word "family". _

"Lawrence, do you have the time?" Teddy asked.

Again, he looked at his watch. "We have about an hour and thirty-eight minutes." Teddy gave him a grave expression.

_We _have _to find them,_ Larry chanted mentally. _We _have _to. They're in this desert _somewhere..._God, I just hope they're safe._

* * *

"Okay, let's see," Jed looked around the area. "I spy with my little eye...somethin'...gold."

"Sand."

"Right again." _I think that's the twentieth time we used that._

Octavius seemed to really think before taking his turn. "Alright...I spy...something blonde."

"Is it the sand again?"

"No."

That took him by surprise. _We're in the desert, what else could it be?_ Jed looked around for a minute, and even wondered if maybe his friend was seeing some kind of mirage before he realized. "It's me, isn't it?"

"Correct!"

"We've been doing this forever, how did you not use that before?"

"I'm not sure. It was so easy, I didn't even consider it. Either way, it's your turn."

Jed sighed and looked around at the nothingness again. "Okay, I got one. I spy-"

He was cut off as the animal they'd hitched a ride on came to a stop all the sudden. It's ears perked up in excitement. "I think it hears somethin'," Jed said."

"Let's just hope it's not a bigger animal."

The creature started moving again, this time a little quicker. Jed squinted in the moonlight to try to see anything coming. They went over a few sand dunes, but still couldn't see anything. "...Maybe somethin' spooked it?" Jed questioned.

"Perhaps. If that's so, let's hope it doesn't catch up to...wait...do you see something over there or am I imagining things?"

Jed looked over to where Octavius was pointing. _Let's see, there's sand...more sand...sand and then more- _His eyes widened, and he straightened his back. In the moonlight, he could see the silhouette of a person. A cape was trailing behind them, and someone else was only a few steps behind with a long sword on their hip. "Wait, that's _Ahk! _That's Ahk and Lancelot!"

"We found them! Well _done, _bushy tailed animal!"

Jed threw up his arms and waved quickly as they got closer and closer. "Ahk, we're over here! Hey, Ahkmenrah!"

"We are atop this strange animal with above average hearing!"

* * *

Ahkmenrah hadn't shouted this loudly since the days he was stuck in his sarcophagus. "Octavius?! Jedediah?!" _Wherever could they _be? _I hope they didn't get carried too far off, or we'll _never _find them. The museum won't be the same without those two! Who's going to run my foot over with a toy car? Who will drive McPhee up the wall?...Well, Dexter will do that, but we still have to get them back!_ "Jed, Octavius, where are you?"

Lancelot's arm suddenly stopped him as the knight took a step in front of him. "...What is it?" Ahk asked nervously.

"A strange creature has its eyes on you."

"Strange creature?" He looked around to see what his friend was talking about. A small, tan colored animal with a bushy tail was approaching them. "Oh, that's nothing to worry about. That's just a fennec fox. They're harmless."

"If that is the case then why is it coming right towards you?"

"It's not coming right…" Ahk arched a brow as he realized that _yes, _the animal was racing right up to him. _That's peculiar. It's a wild animal, it should not enjoy just walking up to people. What could be-_

His eyes widened to the size of half dollars. On top of the fox were two small insect-like creatures flailing their arms. "Lance...Lance, I think you found them!"

"I did?"

"Yes!" He turned to look at the rest of the group. "Lancelot found Jed and Octavius!"

"I did something!" Lance smiled, throwing his arms up.

"Thank God!" Larry exclaimed. He started to run towards the animal, passing Ahkmenrah, when the Egyptian seized his arm.

"Don't! You'll scare the fox and it will run off with them on it."

He could not fault him for being excited by any means, though. Ahkmenrah was more relieved that they had found the two miniatures than he could put into words. The feeling of dread finally left him as he sighed a bit, as if he had been holding his breath until that moment.

The fox approached him and obediently sat down. The young pharaoh smiled as Jedediah and Octavius slid down the animals back and onto the sand. They were there for less than three seconds before Ahkmenrah gently picked them up, knowing Jed's great dislike of being "manhandled".

"Thank Ra we found you!" He smiled.

"Are you okay?" Larry asked quickly. "Are you hurt? What happened? God, I am _so _sorry! I should have been holding onto you, but there was sand in my-"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down before ya pass out, Gigantor," Jed told him. "We both know ya can't control ol' Mother Nature."

"And we are perfectly fine, my liege, thanks to this desert creature."

"Well, there's sand in my boots," the cowboy added.

Ahkmenrah heard Larry audibly sigh. "The museum would not have been the same without you," the Egyptian told them.

"Aww, thanks, Ahk."

"You two just can't stay out of danger, can you?" Teddy smiled, approaching. "Good to have you back, lads!"

Ahk handed them back to Larry, grinning. But his face fell when he saw how low the moon had gotten. "Anubis, where did the time go? The sun is set to rise in just an hour or so!"

"Alright, let's not panic," Larry said. He took his phone out and started to hit a few buttons. "I think I should be able to use GPS without cell service."

Ahkmenrah waited patiently, having no idea what that meant, but figured Larry had some kind of idea.

"It looks like there's some kind of temple not too far. The Temple of Ptah."

Are you sure it is still standing?"

"According to this, yeah."

Ahkmenrah chanced another look at the lowering moon. "Well, let us hope that your Google device does not lead us astray."


	13. Chapter 13

The temple was not as he remembered it, but Ahkmenrah had expected that by this point. It was much older looking, and parts of it seemed to have fallen over. They walked towards the entrance, between large, stone pillars into the stone temple. _We used stone for a lot of things, didn't we? Then __again, we didn't have half of the materials people today do. _

"If we walk all the way to the back," his mother began. "We will be far out of the sun's reach. I am sure there is a place without windows or anything." And sure enough, they found just the place. Ahkmenrah couldn't help but notice how empty every room was. _I suppose everything that was found is now in a museum somewhere. _It was strange even still. He could feel the ghosts of the past, could picture things that were no longer there.

He took a seat next to Lance as everyone else found a spot. Dexter scampered over and curled up next to his leg. "Don't think I've forgotten all the trouble you caused today," the young Egyptian said. "You really must stop making everyone so angry, _especially _my brother. We have a very serious situation on our hands. You cannot just…" Dexter was looking up at him, his brown eyes growing larger. "Don't look at me like that. You are still...oh, I cannot stay mad at you. And you know it, don't you, you devious thing?" He gave in and started to pet behind his ears.

After a minute or so, he felt the power of the Tablet - which was still safely in Larry's backpack- start to wear off. His last thoughts were filled with worry for the night to come. _We have yet to find any sign of a snake, and Zalaam could be returning _right _this moment._

* * *

After filling out application after application, Nick had finally decided to take a break and go for a ride on his motorcycle. He could barely hear the blaring construction and shouts of Manhattan as the sound of the engine filled his ears.

_If I don't get a job soon, I'm screwed, _he thought, turning down another street. His Dad still hadn't called back even though it was now well into the afternoon, and each time Nick tried to call, it still said he was out of range. _Where the heck could he be? _There was too much going on. Too many questions spinning around him. He needed to clear his head.

It was then Nick realized what road he'd somehow started driving down and what was just a few blocks further. Within minutes, he cut the engine and stepped off his bike. The Museum of Natural History didn't look any different than he remembered it. He'd thought about going inside once in a while these last few years but thought it would be a bit depressing not being able to see everyone up and about. Now that his dad wasn't working there anymore, there was no more coming in after closing.

But at that moment, he wanted to see them. He wanted to see his friends' old faces and remember the good times they'd had. _Maybe this will help me think of what to do, _Nick hoped as he opened the door. _After all, museums are all about gaining knowledge and stuff, right?_

Once he'd paid the admission fee - something he'd never done before - his first stop was to see Rexy, who was right in front. Vivid memories came to the forefront of his mind of the nights when he and Ahkmenrah would ride the dinosaur all around the museum. _Man, it's crazy how long ago that was. _He walked around a bit more before coming up to someone who he _really _wished he could talk to. Teddy was the best with advice, hands down. He would know what to say. If the Tablet was just active, Teddy would explain the best solution to Nick in a flash. He'd know what to do about his dad, and maybe give him some job help as well. Teddy-

Teddy wasn't there.

For some odd reason, Texas the horse was where he belonged, but his Rough Riding rider was nowhere to be found. _That's...weird, _Nick concluded. _Maybe they had to...I don't know, clean him or something. _After puzzling over that for a moment and praying nothing happened to the wax president, he walked into the Hall of Miniatures, but found that after scrutinizing each tiny model, he couldn't find Jedidiah _or _Octavius. Now he was _really _beginning to worry. _They're so small, some kid could just stick 'em in their pocket. Or step on them! They should really have some glass or something here. Why can't I find them?_

Nick stopped and took a deep breath. _It's a museum. Sometimes things have to be cleaned or repainted and stuff. I'm sure that's what happened. _But, he wanted to check a few other things to make sure this wasn't some sort of pattern. He was relieved to find Attila and all his Hun friends in their rightful places. The cavemen - one of which resembled his dad and gave Nick a wave of guilt - were still in their exhibits, as was the lovely Sacajawea. _See? It's fine. No big conspiracy, just normal museum stuff._

He made his way into the Hall of African Mammals and remembered all the times the ferocious lions had scared him as a kid. To be honest, their large teeth still made him a bit nervous as an adult. But everything seemed to be normal. There were wildebeests, a few rhinos, a warthog, the group of capuchins in their tre-

"Dexter," Nick said quietly aloud, not really realizing it. _That makes three people I can't find. Is this museum just falling apart and they need to fix them all? _A dark thought bubbled up. He remembered the year that his father started his own company and quit being the nightguard. All the exhibits were going to be moved into other museums or archived away. Was that starting to happen again? _They can't separate them, they're like a big family. And they'd stop being alive! It wouldn't be fair, they can't speak up for themselves! _Just as he was beginning to worry again, he thought of someone who would have a much worse fate if he was moved somewhere else.

Nearly knocking into an older woman, he darted back down the stairs to the Egyptian exhibit. _They can't do this. If Ahk goes to another museum, they won't unlock his sarcophagus! He'll be stuck in there again just like when I met him! Maybe _forever. He wove around the other people until he finally got to the exhibit. Or what was left of it, at least. The sound of hammering filled his ears as he got closer to the construction. There was a handful of handymen scrambling all around with drywall dusted clothes. _No way. Are they tearing down the exhibit?! _Glancing into what he could see of the room, his stomach filled with dread when he couldn't see either of the two Jackal guards, Ahkmenrah's sarcophagus, or the Tablet. _Don't tell me they already moved him. Please, for the love of God, tell me I don't have to go searching for him somewhere. How would I even _find-

"Young man, excuse me," called an irritated British voice. Nick turned to see a familiar face coming up to him. "If you couldn't tell by the signs and the construction tape, this exhibit isn't open to the public at the...oh, it's you." Dr. McPhee said in a less-annoyed tone as he stood in front of him. "Larry's son, umm...God, what's your name? I know it, I swear."

"Dr. McPhee!" Nick said, happy that he'd found someone who could explain what was going on.

"No, that would be my name. Nathan? No, _Nick. _That was it."

"I'm so glad you're here."

"...Well, I do work here, but thank you, I suppose? I'm more surprised to see you, actually. Sort of figured you would be with your dad."

Nick barely acknowledged the man's sentence. "What's going on? Where's Ahk?"

"Hold on, hold on, no need to get all worked up. I've got everything in the basement until all this is done. Didn't want it getting messy, you know. I'm having the space enlarged. Unfortunately, with these Neanderthals, I'm worried it might not be done before he gets back. It's really hard to find good help these days, you know._."_

Nick sighed knowing that the exhibit wasn't being destroyed when the full sentence fully processed in his head. "Wait, what?"

"I really should fire them, but then I've got to get someone new, and that will take _more _time-"

"No, no, I mean...You said, 'when he gets back'. I thought you said Ahk was in the basement."

Dr. McPhee gave him a very confused look. "No, I meant the sarcophagus, guards, and all the other things are down there. Pharaoh Ahkmenrah is with your father. Didn't he tell you any of this?"

Nick was about to explain the situation with his father, but another thought took over. "Wait, you…" He lowered his voice to a whisper. "You know about the Tablet? And like, what it does and everything?"

"Of course I do," the doctor mumbled back. "That girl night guard from London told me. Apparently, your father thought I could finally know about it. You didn't know about that either? I bloody work the nights now, are your just avoiding your dad?"

Nick brought his voice to a normal level again and rubbed the back of his neck. His eyes started to admire his shoes. "I mean… We kinda had this fight and I walked out, so now, it's all kinda messed up." He quickly changed the subject. "Wait, so...where are they? Dad and Ahk?"

McPhee cleared his throat before motioning to follow him. Nick did so and they walked towards the office. Once the door was closed, Nick sat down and waited for the doctor to explain. "I didn't want to discuss this in public, just to be safe," he began, sitting at his immaculate desk. "You see, umm...Good God, where do I start with this? Do you watch the news? Of course not, you're twenty-something-years-old. Well, basically, your father heard that there was some sort of black sand forming down in Egypt and that it was starting to spread around."

Nick leaned in, interested. He thought he remembered overhearing something like that going around.

"He came here to talk to Pharaoh Ahkmenrah and when he didn't know, they phoned his parents using the Tablet."

_It can do that?_

"Now I don't know all the details here, but I guess this is some ancient Egyptian thing that involved him and his family. So now your father, Pharaoh Ahkmenrah, his brother, parents, and God knows who else are down in Egypt trying to fight whatever is causing all this."

Nick sat there in shock for a minute. His eyes widened as something the man had said brought a massive amount of fear back into his stomach. "Wait, did you say Ahk's brother? His brother as in _Kahmunrah?" _

He nodded. "From what I heard, they needed the whole family for this."

"Kahmunrah as in the guy who almost killed my dad?! _That _Kahmunrah?"

"Do you know any others?"

"Aw, man, what do they need _him _for? What if he tries to get revenge or something? Or takes this black sand stuff and uses it for something evil? He could kill my dad and try to take over the whole world!"

"Well, if this sand doesn't stop, there won't be much of a world to take over."

Nick let out in an exhausted sigh and brought his hands to his face. _I should be there. I should be there making sure Kahmunrah doesn't get Dad killed. God, that stupid fight ruined _everything. Another sigh and he looked back to McPhee. "So, is that where Teddy is, too? And Jed and Octavius and whoever else is missing?"

"Yes, those three and the monkey took the Tablet and left."

"Capuchin."

"Little Demon more like it. Him and those miniatures can't seem to leave the museum in one piece. I haven't been able to get barely any cleaning or maintenance done at night, I'm always chasing someone around." He got up and opened the door.

Nick took the cue and got up, his mind everywhere else. "Well, thanks for filling me in, Doctor McPhee. I really appreciate it. Sorry for freaking out a bit, but after I saw a few people missing, I thought maybe-"

"Oh, heavens, no," McPhee said firmly. "No, now that I know that..._you know..._No, they're not going anywhere, as much as I consider shipping those miniatures and that monkey to Timbuktu sometimes. If anything, we're going to add things, not remove them."

"That's really good to know. Guess I'll be on the way then, hoping the world doesn't end."

"If it does, I've got a bunker prepared."

"...Wait, seriously?

"No, that was sarcasm. Why does everyone keep thinking I'm serious?"

Nick laughed a bit, something he hadn't done in a while, and started to walk out. After taking a few steps, he thought for a second and turned around. "Hey, umm, Doctor McPhee?" The man looked at him again. "You know I could maybe help out if you want. Tonight with the cleaning and everything?"

"...You're volunteering to clean a giant, dusty museum?"

"Yeah, I mean... I don't know, I've got a lotta good memories here, you know?"

"If you're referring to the nights where your father snuck you into my museum overnight without me knowing, then yes. I am now well aware. But I suppose I could use some help."

Nick smiled. "Thanks, Doctor McPhee."

"Be here at closing then?"

"You got it. See ya later."

Nick finally left the museum and got back onto his bike. As he drove back towards his apartment, he thought about everything that was going on: The black sand, Kahmunrah, the end of the world, his dad in danger, not being able to call him...

_Man. The museum was supposed to help me _clear _my head__, not make me even more crazy._

**A/N:** Nick has finally been filled in on what's going on. Don't worry, the next chapter will be in Egypt again! And as always, thank you for the lovely comments, favs, and follows.


	14. Chapter 14

Larry's eyes opened too soon, he could feel it. Groaning, he looked at the time. _It's what...one in the afternoon right now? Stupid jet lag. They won't be up for like, four more hours. _Sighing, he fished in his bag and ate some of his food before wondering what he was supposed to do. _I'm in Egypt with a bunch of sleeping museum exhibits, hoping some crazy ancient enemy isn't coming to kill us all. _

Figuring there was no way he could fall asleep again, he got to his feet and decided to walk around. _God, my back feels like it's in three different pieces. Guess that's what happens when you sleep on a stone floor. _He squinted in the bright sunlight once outside as the sand crunched under his shoes. _This is crazy, _he thought. _Zalaam could be coming back right now. And if he gets a body, we're screwed. Even if this legendary Mirror does exist - which, if it doesn't, we're dead - we have to get to it before he comes back. What are we gonna do if this doesn't work? I just want this to be over. Kahmunrah can get back to the Smithsonian, Ahk's parents can go back to Britain, and everything will be normal again. Ahk can enjoy his new room and be with his friends, and I'll go back to my class and see Ni...well, I guess I'll have to call Nick when I get back first._

He walked around in the desert for a while, periodically checking his watch and drinking the water in his backpack. All was quiet apart from the occasional swirl of sand, carried on a light breeze. _I will never complain about New York weather again. No wonder Ahk used to say it was cold in the museum. And how the heck did sand get into my shoes? There's no holes in them. _He paused and lifted up a foot to grab his shoe, but never took it off. Something in the sand caught his attention.

There was a winding trail near his feet, one he hadn't noticed while walking and almost missed. The trail was a bit faded, but it was clear by the curved shape that went from left to right what had left it. Larry's eyes widened with hope as he forgot about his shoe and followed the snake's trail. _I hope it didn't get too far. Wait, do they travel in groups? If they do, I'm gonna be in trouble. I don't even know how I'm gonna catch _one _snake. Man, I wish they were awake right now. Ahkmenrah or someone probably knows how to grab one of these without getting hurt. _

The trail started to get clearer as fear started to well up in Larry's stomach. _I gotta catch this thing. We _need _to get to this temple ASAP. Zalaam could come back at any time. If we have to waste tonight looking for another snake in the dark, we're as good as - there it is! _The snake was slithering slowly in the sand. It was a pale-yellow color with a hood on the sides of its neck. _Cobra. Great. Those are totally venomous. ...But that's _also _the kind of snake I saw on Wadjet's trading card in that shop. This has to be the kind that'll show us where to go._

He took a deep breath and grabbed his backpack, rummaging through it while following the snake. _There's gotta be something I can use to help. God, what am I supposed to do? Hit it over the head with the Tablet and knock it out? No, that's too heavy, that'll kill it. Plus, it's gonna be really quick. Oh! Wait, maybe this'll work._

Slowly, Larry moved closer to the snake and grabbed a spare shirt out of his bag._ If I cover its head with this, maybe I can grab it quick and put it in here. Or I get bit and die out in the middle of the desert. This should be fun. _Larry replaced the backpack and held the shirt in both hands. _This is insane. I can't believe this is really happening. I really wish one of the Egyptians was awake. Specifically, Kahmunrah. I would really enjoy watching him get bit by a snake. Okay, focus, Larry! Not the time for this._

He slowly followed it for another moment, making sure that it didn't know he was there before tossing the t-shirt over its head. It snapped up and its hood puffed out. Larry held his breath, but the snake slowly lowered itself back into the sand, even curling up under the shirt as if it was trying to hide from him. _Okay, okay, this is good...except...now it's all curled up so I can't tell which part has the poisonous fangs. Great. Umm…_ Larry looked around a bit before finding a small rock and tossed it gently at the balled-up snake. Like lightning, sharp teeth pierced through the fabric and the hood of the snake was back up. _Okay, well, there goes that shirt. Now I just have to...pick up the snake. Okay...one, two...two and a half…_ He reached out quickly and seized the creature very close to its head so it couldn't turn and bit him. _Get in the bag get in the bag getinthebag! _He dropped it inside and quickly zipped it up before it could try to attack. Larry sighed and just sat in the sand for a moment. His muscles could finally relax. _Okay, that was terrifying. But I got it. I got the stupid snake and there is no more venom in me than there was when I started. Thank God. _

_I hate the desert._

The sun had finally gone down, making the temple just a _bit _creepier to Larry. He would've used his flashlight to find his way back to the exhibits, but there was a venomous snake coiled around it at the moment. When he entered the room, everyone was awake and on their feet. "Evening, Lawrence," Teddy greeted. "Ready for another night's adventure?"

"More like another night of wasting our time," Kahmunrah quipped.

"A real ray of sunshine, aren't you?" Lancelot said.

"Actually, I managed to use the time pretty well, for your information." Larry smirked. "Pharaoh Merenkahre and-or Ahkmenrah, I've got a snake for you." He set the backpack down in front of him with a smug expression. The look on Kahmunrah's face was priceless.

"You caught a snake?" Ahkmenrah asked. "Alone? Larry, that was insanely dangerous! You could have been killed and we wouldn't have known."

"We need to find this temple before Zalaam comes back."

"Well, yes, but, but _still."_

"That was quite brave of you, Larry," Lancelot congratulated.

"Thanks. So, um, how does this work? Like how do you get the snake to show us where to go?"

Merenkahre and Ahkmenrah, being the only two the snake would obey, looked at each other. "I am not quite sure how it works," Merenkahre admitted.

"I suppose we should just try to...ask it?" Ahkmenrah suggested.

"Oh, yes," Kahmunrah began, finally out of his shocked state. "By all means, try to converse with the venomous snake. I want to see what happens."

"Kahmunrah!" his mother shouted. "Both of you, please, be careful. We don't know what could happen."

"Don't worry, Mother, whatever happens the Tablet can repair. I will do it, Father."

"If you insist."

_I really wish I'd thought to buy some antivenom or something, _Larry thought. Ahkmenrah approached the backpack and Larry got down to unzip it. _This better work. Please, let it work. _"You ready, Ahk?"

"I suppose as much as I can be."

He nodded and took a deep breath. Slowly, the bag was unzipped and within a moment, the cobra poked its head out, slowly slithering out. Ahkmenrah watched it closely and cleared it's throat. He began to speak in his native tongue and Larry could only imagine what he was saying. "'Ana 'ahkaminrat , mulk misr alrabie." The snake looked up at him, as if curious. The hood on its neck stayed down and Larry took that as a good sign. "Min fadlik , hal ymkn 'an tuadiy 'iilaa aistikhdam maebad Wadjet alkhafy?"  
The snake studied him for a moment before lowering its head back down to the ground. As if in a trance all of a sudden, it slithered around the backpack and past Larry, heading towards the exit of the temple. "Did...did it work?"

"I think so."

"Well, then by all means, let's follow it before it gets too far," Teddy stated.

Larry replaced his backpack and placed Jedediah and Octavius back into his front pocket. "Hey, Gigantor, ya think this snake knows where it's goin'?"

"I sure hope so, 'cause it's all we got."

The desert was a bit cooler now that the sun had gone down. The others were ahead of Larry with Kahmunrah leading the pack once again. Ahkmenrah was nearby, walking alone. Lancelot had gotten into a conversation with Teddy. "Hey, Ahk," he began after he'd caught up to him.

"Larry, I'm sorry we haven't been able to talk much since we got to Egypt."

"Don't worry about it, it's been crazy. No, I just...I know yesterday was pretty bad, especially for you, so I kinda just wanna make sure you're okay."

"Oh, I'm quite alright, thank you. I'll be even better once we have this mythical mirror." He smiled. It was clearly a mask.

"I mean, I know your brother just won't stop pushing your buttons, so…"

"Believe me, Larry, he's been doing it for years."

"Well, only a lil' longer, hopefully, and then ya can kiss his keister g'bye." Jedediah interjected.

"Yes," Ahk mumbled, noticeably quieter.

Larry caught the change in his tone. He cleared his throat as his eyes traveled down to his pocket. "Guys, could you, um, give us a minute?"

Octavius and Jedediah caught on quick. "Say no more, my liege. We are not even here."

"Yeah, y'all take your time. We'll just be, uh...down here." They both sunk down to the bottom of Larry's pocket.

Ahkmenrah looked at him, curiously. "I just wanted to talk to you," Larry began, "Because I know your relationship with Kahmunrah is...really complicated, and I know that's gotta be hard on you."

"Thank you."

"I um, talked to your mom the other day and she kinda...told me what happened, how he...ignored you for years after you became king."

Ahkmenrah looked to his feet. "Yes, he did. He didn't say a word to me for years and then he just left me."

"I'm really sorry...wait, left you?"

"She did not tell you that?"

"Umm, no...You don't have to talk about it, though, if you don't want to. I don't want to-"

"No, it's alright. It was thousands of years ago; it really doesn't matter now. A few years after I started ruling, long after Father had passed, Mother got sick. Within a few weeks, she passed away as well…" His tone had fallen to a monotone, detached sound now. "I think that was the only reason he stayed as long as he did during my reign, for Mother. He didn't have any other reason; he wasn't talking to me. The morning after her burial, I woke up, and he...he was just gone. No note, nothing. Just packed his things, took a chariot, and left. I think he was probably planning to gather some followers and try to overthrow me or something. Or perhaps he was just sick of watching me sit on the throne he swore up and down was his...It really doesn't matter anymore."

Larry walked in quiet for a moment. _So, he just had to rule all by himself, all his family was just _gone. _God, Ahk was alone way longer than I thought he was. _"...I'm really sorry, Ahk. He shouldn't have done that to you." It was weak, but he had no idea what to say. Larry put a hand on his shoulder and got a small smile from Ahkmenrah.

"Thank you."

"Hey, soon enough, we'll be back in the museum and we can forget this ever happened. Okay?"

"I look forward to it. Let us just hope this snake knows where to go."

**A/N: **Finally off to the temple next chapter! What are we thinking? And as always, thanks for comments, favs and follows!


	15. Chapter 15

Kahmunrah was following close to the snake so as to not hear the moronic conversations behind him. Sometimes a poisonous snake was just preferable. _We must have been walking for at least an hour, this thing is probably just going in circles. I can't believe he actually _asked _the stupid snake to lead us to the temple! He even said 'please'! This is ridiculous. We're following this stupid serpent all around the desert, looking for some mythical temple that apparently has some ridiculous magic mirror that can...why is it stopping?_

They were in the middle of the desert with nothing in sight and yet the snake was now up straight like it was waiting for something. _What in the name of Anubis? _The others caught up to them quickly and observed the situation. "What's it waiting for?" Lancelot asked.

"Perhaps the _snake charmer _has to give it a new order," Kahmunrah snapped.

The snake spun around on its scales to face the group and looked at Ahkmenrah. It focused on him for a moment before starting to dig in the sand. It burrowed deep down, popping back up once in a while. They watched in confusion until it had made a sizeable hole. _Oh, well done, Ahkmenrah. You broke it. _But the snake backed up a bit and seemed to be waiting for something once more. Ahkmenrah approached it tentatively and looked at the hole on his knees.

"What do you see?" Larry asked.

"It's some sort of symbol," he told them. "It looks like a beetle."

"What?"

Kahmunrah went over - keeping a wary eye on the snake - to see what he was going on about. His eyes widened. There was in fact some sort of panel there with a golden beetle facing West. "What do you suppose it means?" Ahkmenrah asked.

That earned a snort. "You're the magic snake whisperer. Figure it out."

The younger Egyptian glared up at him before turning back to the mysterious beetle. He reached out and touched it, gingerly. _This is going to take a while, _Kahmunrah thought, crossing his arms over his chest. "It almost looks like...if you…" Ahkmenrah reached out and grasped the beetle before turning it so it now faced North. Without warning, the ground started to shake under their feet and the snake quickly got out of the way. The sand in front of them was sinking down into a large hole that was suddenly appearing. _What in the world?! _All of them stood in awe, well, as well as they could stand with the quaking under them.

After a minute or two, it was finally revealed. The golden sand had given way to a hidden staircase. Kahmunrah looked inside of it but could only see a few stairs before pitch darkness. "Well," Teddy began. "Guess we found the Temple!"

"Oh, well done, Ahkmen!" Queen Shepseheret cheered, causing Kahmunrah's face to turn a bit red. _Any fool can turn a beetle...that's an odd sentence. _

Larry moved towards the front with his accursed flashlight in hand. "One step closer to Zalaam," he said. With that, the former night guard began to walk down the steps. Ahkmenrah followed only a step behind. Kahmunrah walked down after the rag tag group, the steps a bit precarious with all the sand, yet nothing he wasn't accustomed to. It was completely dark apart from the small beam of light from the flashlight. Step by step they traveled down deeper under the desert sand into the unknown. After what felt like eons, the stairs ended. Kahmunrah squinted in the near darkness, trying to see just what was inside the mythical temple.

"It would be nice if there was some more light in here," Lancelot stated.

In a blink, torches that were once invisible on the walls ignited in bursts of brilliant flame, one after the other down the rows.

They waited, stunned for a moment, before Lancelot spoke again. "Ha! Fire that ignites on command. Ahkmenrah, your culture is full of surprises."

_Moron, _Kahmunrah mocked mentally, rolling his eyes.

"Should we be concerned?" Larry asked.

"Don't do anything stupid and we'll be just peachy," he quipped. That earned a warning glare from his mother.

"No matter what caused that to happen, we can't let it spook us," Teddy said. "Whatever is down here, I think it's safe to say that anything this Zalaam has up his sleeves can do much worse if we don't stop him."

That seemed to satisfy the group and they pressed on down the long hallway. It was fairly wide with many winds and turns. The walls were made of solid stone, a familiar structure to the Egyptians. As they got farther down, a dark green curtain came into view, concealing a new room. It looked drab, plain, definitely something that didn't belong in an ancient temple. _What exactly is it hiding?_

Larry paused at the curtain and looked over at Lancelot, who grabbed the hilt of his sword and nodded. Without a word, Larry tore the curtain down and he and Lancelot went inside, both ready to fight whatever monster could be guarding the Mirror. Kahmunrah watched impatiently as both men looked around cautiously, then saw their eyes widen dramatically. "What is it?" the Queen asked. "What do you see?"

"Well, it's...it's a lot of- of," Larry had apparently lost the ability to form a cohesive sentence. _Oh, this is taking long enough as it is! _Fed up, Kahmunrah passed the waiting crowd and stormed into the room. He opened his mouth to shout, but his jaw went limp and the fists at his sides opened.

The room was _massive, _as big as the throne room in the palace he'd grown up in him. All around him were _mountains _of treasure, tributes to worship Wadjet, who had many statues scattered around the room. Golden coins, rubies the size of his palm, sapphires of all sizes, chalices, diamonds, every gem imaginable! It was all right before him.

"Well, bleach my boots, boys," he heard Jedediah say from not too far away. "We hit the jackpot!"

"Do not get so excited, my friend." Octavius began. "This is not what we came here for."

"You're right, Octavius, we shouldn't touch it. Ahk," Larry said breathlessly, having remembered basic speech skills . "Hold onto Dexter."

The cowboy and capuchin, however, weren't the only one who had eyes for the riches. _By Ra, _Kahmunrah thought. _Had I found this when Ahkmenrah was in power, I could've bought an army! A kingdom of my own! No! Egypt itself! I would have had everything! And to think right under my feet was- No! What am I thinking? If it seems too good, it is. Obviously, this was put here just to distract from the _real _treasure. A mere diversion. That way no one gets close to finding-_

"The Mirror!"

He turned to where Teddy's gloved hand was pointing. Above the wealth, past a smaller staircase was in fact, the legendary Mirror of Wadjet. Even from his distance, Kahmunrah could see it. It was the size of an ordinary hand mirror, one you could find on the average woman's dresser. The handle was made to resemble a golden cobra with small, red rubies for eyes. It's presence gave him an eerie feeling. Like the Mirror was looking right at him. No. _Through _him.

Larry began to walk up the steps as the others cheered about the discovery, but Kahmunrah remained still and silent. _This seems...odd. Why is up on a pedestal like that? Even being in a hidden temple, it still should be concealed, not promoted. Who would want something so powerful to be so easy to get once you've found the temple? You may as well hang a sign that says, "Here I am! You've found me! Have fun trapping dark souls!" It's just so..._simple_. Why is there no-_

Everything clicked in his head just as Larry's hand began to reach out for the Mirror. Panic seized him as he tried to move past the excited crowd of people who were all around the room. "Mr. Daley, _don't!"_ he shouted, beginning to climb the stairs, nearly tripping a time or two. "Don't touch that Mirror!"

But the damage was done before he got to the last stair. Larry had the Mirror in his hands when he turned to face him with a nervous look. "What, what's wrong, what could happen?"

Kahmunrah watched in silence. By this time the rest of the group was quiet, having heard his outburst. He waited for a sound. For something to move. For _anything. _But nothing happened.

"Kahmunrah?" The sound of Ahkmenrah's voice behind him suddenly made him jump a bit. "What's the matter?"

"What in the world are you going on about?" his father snapped. His mother simply gave him a slightly confused, concerned look.

"Er...nothing. It was nothing," he told them, straightening. But his brain was still reeling. _I thought we would have encountered at least one…_ His eyes widened. He'd turned around to where the Mirror had just been a moment ago. The pedestal it had been on was lowering slowly, noticing the missing weight. "Trap."

"What?" Ahkmenrah asked.

As if on cue, the temple itself began to tremble.

"It's a trap!" he yelled. And with those three words, chaos occurred. They all broke into a run, Larry somehow getting in front of both Egyptians, the Mirror still in hand.

"Hurry!" Teddy shouted. "We can still make it out before it falls!"

A sickening sound filled the massive room, even over the earthquake. Before his eyes, Kahmunrah saw the ground he'd been about to step on crumble and fall. His breath caught in his throat as he managed to stop on his heels and balance himself as best as he could to prevent falling. An orange glow filled the hole and his eyes gazed in horror at the river of red.

_"Lava!" _Larry shouted, having narrowly escaped falling himself. "We're over a pit of molten lava!"

"I don't like Egypt anymore!" Lancelot shouted, trying to avoid the falling floor pieces.

Kahmunrah was darting around the floor as more and more stones plummeted down into the lava below them. The mountains of gold fell through the holes or spilled onto what remained of the floor. He watched as his father raced down the hall, his hand on his mother's shoulder. The others soon followed, Larry being the last one he saw. His foot slid on a few gold coins, and for once he was glad to hit the floor. Scrambling back to his feet, he saw that most of the floor was gone. A large chasm had formed in front of him now, the red and orange light coming up like Set himself was awaiting.

_Oh, for the love of Osiris, I _really _don't want to die a second time! _Though he'd already been sprinting, he somehow managed to go even faster. Holding his breath, he jumped over the lava pit, doing his best not to look down at the swirling river of red and orange. He could feel the heat even though the lava was at least one-hundred-feet below him, and he hoped it stayed that way. His hands grabbed for the floor in front of him, gripping it tightly. As fast as possible, he began to pull himself up before the floor could give anymore.

_"Kah!"_

His head snapped to look down towards the voice. Ahkmenrah was clinging to a few stones on the wall of the chasm, his panic-filled eyes looking up at him. Quickly, Kahmunrah let go of the floor with one hand and reached his arm out, the muscles reaching their maximum.

He could only watch as Ahkmenrah raised his arm up, trying to grab him. It was so close, _so _close, but still not enough to reach.

Kahmunrah stretched as far as he could, trying to get so much as a finger, it was just out of his grasp! Sweat was building up on his neck, and worse, his palms. The second he felt skin touch his hand, he seized it and started to pull them both up. Ahkmenrah released the other rock he'd been clinging to and grabbed onto his forearm. Kahmunrah struggled to pull himself up due to the added weight on the other arm now, but after what felt like forever, he got his head over the ledge and started to raise Ahkmenrah up as well. His legs dug into the wall as he finally got onto the floor again, Ahkmenrah climbing up as well.

Quickly, he got back to his feet and yanked Ahkmenrah up, sprinting to the hallway, kicking gold coins in his path. He pulled Ahkmenrah down the hallway, his hand still on him.

**A/N: **Hands down one of the most anticipated chapters of my writing thus far. But just you wait! (Great, now I'm thinking of Hamilton.) Also, I know this is a bad spot but 1. I can't find a good spot to cut the next part, it's a very good chapter and 2. I'm evil. Thank you for all the comments, favorites, and follows!


	16. Chapter 16

His lungs were burning as Larry finally reached the top stair out of the temple. One hand covered his front pocket to ensure the miniatures didn't fall out while he ran. Teddy grabbed his arm and moved him away from the temple's entrance. "Are you alright?" he asked in a panicky tone.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine," Larry said as best as he could, still catching his breath. "Is anyone hurt? Everyone get out okay?" He scanned the crowd around him to see if any of them were injured. Just as he did, the Queen began to yell.

"Ahkmen? Kahmunrah?" she asked, frantically looking around. "Boys, where are you?! Merenkahre, were they not behind us?!"

"Ahkmenrah, where are you?" Lancelot called out.

_Oh, God, no. _"Are they still in the temple?!"

_"__No!"_ The queen shrieked and began to run back to the entrance. Merenkahre wrapped his arms around her from behind, holding her back.

"Shepseheret, you cannot go back in there, you'll perish!"

_"__My children, I have to get my children!" _

In his panicked state, Larry almost didn't notice the suit of armor running past him. "Lance, no!" His hand managed to grab the cool metal on the knight's arm and Teddy thankfully did the same with his other one. "You'll melt in a second!"

"I cannot let them die in there!"

"It's _suicide!" _Teddy told him.

_"__Ahkmenrah, Kahmunrah, come to me now!" _The Egyptian mother was in between shouting and sobbing.

Trying to restrain Lancelot, Larry stared down into the temple. _Please come out, please come out, please, please, I can't lose any of you again, please be okay, dear God, please! _

"Lancelot, there is no chance in saving them!" Teddy shouted. "You will only kill yourself as well!"

Larry's white-knuckled hands almost lost their grip on the struggling knight and he feared either he or the Queen would rush into certain death. The weight of the man's armor suddenly hit him as Lancelot was knocked backwards. Larry hit the sand hard but got up quickly. Just as he was about to seize Lancelot again, all went silent. No one moved apart from the two figures who had fallen onto the sand nearby, their gasping the only sound.

Kahmunrah and Ahkmenrah barely had a moment before the Queen broke free, crying openly now, and fell to her knees in front of them. She wrapped her arms around them as best as she could and Merenkahre was heard giving a loud sigh of relief. _"Don't-you-ever-scare-me-like-that- aga-a-a-ain," _she choked out in between her cries.

"We weren't exactly planning on it," Kahmunrah mumbled in an exhausted tone.

Larry's body finally relaxed, the muscles going back into a state that didn't make them feel like they were one fire. _That was way too close. Holy crap. They almost freaking died. I almost let them freaking burn up in that temple. We have to get this over with. I can't keep risking their safety. I almost lost them once._

Everyone seemed to be allowing the distraught mother a moment with her children, even their father. Her sobs had subsided, and she was now kissing them both on the cheek, switching off after two kisses or so. "Oh, sweetheart," she said to Kahmunrah after a moment. "You've got some dirt on your face." Without another word, she licked her thumb and brought it close to him.

Kahmunrah brought up his hand up in an attempt to intercept hers. "I'll get it, I'll get-" His nose crinkled up and his eyes closed as his mother's wet thumb rubbed against the smudge of dirt. "...Thank you," he said when she'd finished, not at all convincingly. The Queen gave a contented sigh and hugged each child again before finally getting up, allowing her sons to do so as well. Merenkahre approached, seeing his wife had calmed down. He looked at both of his children, his face stoic. "I am extremely thankful that the gods have returned you to your mother and me. If something had happened, I have no idea how we would be able to go on."

And that was the end of it. Larry couldn't help but notice that Merenkahre wasn't very good with emotions. _Guess he leaves that up to his wife. _There was a moment of quiet after that, the only sound being the swirls of sand carried by a slight breeze.

That was the only cue they needed.

All at once, Lancelot, Teddy and Larry raced up and surrounded Ahkmenrah. They all spoke at once and so quickly that Larry - who could only blurt out, "Thank God, you're okay, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry." - only caught a few words here and there. Lancelot sounded like he was cheering, and Teddy was saying something about how the museum wouldn't have been the same without him. It was a cacophony of noise until a loud whistle cut through it like a knife. All of them looked to Jedediah and Octavius.

"Gigantor, yer about this close to crushin' us if ya hug Ahk like that again," the cowboy said. "Speakin' a' which, thank goodness yer okay! Ya almost got barbecued quicker than a road lizard on a hot desert day in July!"

Over the years, Larry had observed that Jedediah spoke more "cowboy" when he was flustered or excited. Thankfully, Octavius spoke up as well. "Indeed. We would not have known what to do without you, my friend."

The young Egyptian smiled at them and opened his mouth to say something but was cut off as Lancelot picked him up off his feet and spun him around. "Thank Ram you're alright! I had my doubts about your funny little snake gods and dog people but thank Ram for keeping you safe!"

"Lance, I think you might mean 'Ra'." Larry smiled.

"Thank him, too!" the ecstatic knight shouted. "Had your brother not knocked me over as you ran out, I would've barreled in there to get you, believe me. I am not letting you out of my sight again. For the rest of this trip, I promise to not let you down!"

"And I thank you for that, my dear friend, but...could you please let me down?"

"Hmm? Oh, right." He set Ahkmenrah down on the ground and patted the top of his crown with a smile. Larry couldn't help but laugh a bit at that. Lancelot then turned to the other Egyptian son. "And you! I know we don't know each other that well, but I'm glad you're alright for Ahkmenrah and your parents sake!" He stretched his arms out and approached Kahmunrah.

"Touch me and it will be the last thing you ever do."

"I am going to back up to where I was previously standing."

Rolling his eyes, Larry turned his attention back to Ahkmenrah, a hand placed firmly on his shoulder. "I am _so _sorry, Ahk, I thought you were right behind-"

"No apology needed," he interrupted with a smile.

"_Yes,_ apology needed, you almost died. God, for a second, I almost thought you weren't gonna make it out of there."

"Well, it wasn't easy but..." Larry watched as Ahkmenrah looked away for a moment. He followed his gaze and was surprised to find it lead to Kahmunrah of all people. "I, um, managed, as you can see."

Larry decided to ignore that and focus on the fact that Ahkmenrah wasn't a puddle in a river of lava. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"So am I - _goodness!" _Ahkmenrah jumped a bit as Dexter jumped up onto his shoulder and hugged his face. "It seems you're happy to see me as well, hmm?" He reached out and started petting the animal, who in turn, sat on his shoulder like a parrot with a pirate.

"I still don't understand how you got him to like you so much," Larry admitted.

"I honestly have no idea."

Teddy put his own hand on Ahkmenrah's shoulder, the one Larry's had just left. "We're gonna have to keep a closer eye on you, it seems. Even in your own land, you find a way to get into trouble."

That got a bit of a laugh, but it was cut short for some reason. Ahkmenrah turned back to him with wide eyes. "The Mirror. You did get it, did you not?"

"I have it right here." He held it up for him to see. "...I can look into this, right? It's not gonna, like, suck out my soul or something?"

"No, only if you are a dark force. I am just glad it didn't fall into the lava! Now all we have to do is find Zalaam's soul and trap it inside. Do you know where we should go next?"

"Yeah, umm," Larry went to reach around for his backpack but looked at the Egyptian and his family. He thought of what could have happened, how they were nearly mourning rather than celebrating. "You know what, I'll handle this. Let's just...why don't you all just take a break, okay? Literally, this night could not have gone worse - okay, scratch that, it totally could have. But why don't we just take a break and I will figure out what to do next, okay?"

"We need to find him before-"

"Ahk, you almost died, you and your brother," he said firmly. "I can handle this."

"He's right," Teddy told him. "After what has just happened, I think we should all stop and allow ourselves some time to collect ourselves. We have the Mirror now, the journey has almost ended. We can stop somewhere and after a while, Lawrence will have found out what to do next."

Ahkmenrah looked like he was about to protest, but his eyes glanced back at his family, then back at Larry. "Maybe we should stop for a bit," he conceded.

Larry gave him a knowing smirk and took his cell phone out. He got into his Maps and tried to figure out if there was anywhere, they could go that wasn't the middle of the desert. "The Nile river is nearby," he suggested.

"Oh, the Nile!" the Queen grinned, having returned to her happy self. "So many good memories".

_Perfect. _"Looks like if we head West, it's not far off. And we'll still have plenty of moonlight left to find Zalaam later," he assured them. There were a few murmurs of agreement.

As they started off again, Kahmunrah once again tried to get in front of the group, but to Larry's surprise, Teddy approached him and placed his gloved hand on Kahmunrah's shoulder. Side by side, he noticed that Kahmunrah was a bit taller than the president. "Well done," Teddy told him simply. A knowing smile was under his moustache. For some reason, those two words make Kahmunrah's eyes widen drastically, as if he'd seen a ghost. He roughly removed Teddy's hand and strode off, quickly.

_What is he congratulating him for? Not dying? _Confused, Larry walked up to him. "Hey, umm...what was that about?"

Teddy's bright eyes looked at him. "What? Kahmunrah? Oh, he just doesn't want his little secret out. Figured someone ought to say something to him, though."

_Wow, that didn't clear anything up at all. _"What, what _secret _am I missing here?"

"You didn't see it? I thought you had; you were right next to me. I know we were both focused on Lancelot...well, maybe I shouldn't say."

"...Oh, um, okay. Never mind then."

"That was a joke, of course I'm going to tell you," Teddy told him quickly. "I love a good bit of gossip. Just don't go teasing him, hmm? That goes for you two as well." He eyed Larry's pocket.

"Hey, our lips are sealed, amigo," Jedediah told him. Octavius mimed out locking his lips and tossing the key.

He studied them for another moment before looking back up at Larry. "You must've missed it before Lancelot fell on us. It was quick, but I know what I saw." Leaning in a bit, he lowered his voice. They were in the back of the group by now, but apparently Teddy wanted to take precautions. "When they both came running out of that temple, Kahmunrah was holding onto our young Pharaoh's arm."

_Holding onto his..._It took Larry a moment to understand what he was saying. "Wait, are you trying to tell me that _Kahmunrah _got Ahk outta the temple?"

"Yes, that's what I'm saying."

"..._This _Kahmunrah?"

"Do you know another?"

"Ain't no way, Teddy," Jedediah argued. "Ya musta had some sand in yer eyes."

"I agree," Octavius began. "Kahmunrah would never do such a thing."

"He _hates _Ahk," Larry explained in a low voice. "I really don't think he'd care if something bad happened to him. In fact, had Ahk _not _come out of there, he would've started dancing and praising every Egyptian god in history."

"'Hate' is a strong word, Lawrence," Teddy told him. "I watched him come out of that temple with Ahkmenrah in hand and he did not release him until they fell into the sand."

Larry was about to argue when he remembered how Ahkmenrah had paused and looked at his brother for a moment. "Wait but, but, _why? _He's selfish. And he's been wishing something bad would happen to Ahk since we got here. _Plus, _he's still mad about Ahk getting the throne. Why would he save him?"

"Why?" Larry awaited an answer, but Teddy seemed to have to think about that for a moment. "I don't think I can tell you when I'm not sure myself. In fact, by the look he gave me, I don't even think Kahmunrah knows why he did it...No, actually, I take that back. He knows. Just won't let himself admit it."

"...Are you _sure _you didn't have sand in yer eyes?" Jed asked.

"I mean, they did come out of there together," Larry pointed out. He looked up to the front of the group, where Kahmunrah was walking. He wasn't sure about what had happened between the two brothers, but he didn't have a lot of time to think about it. He had to focus on getting everyone to the black sand. After this trip to the Nile, that was their next stop.

**A/N:** A nice, kinda tame chapter after the insanity of the last one. Once they leave the Nile after this next part though, the action is coming back at ya! Thanks for all of the lovely comments, follows, and favorites.


	17. Chapter 17

As they made their way towards the famous river, Dexter stayed quiet for the most part. He seemed to be content with simply sitting on Ahkmenrah's shoulder for a while, which was good because the young pharaoh's mind was reeling. They'd been out of the temple for some time now, but he was still trying to wrap his head around what had happened.

_I almost fell, _he thought once again. _I didn't make that jump. I very nearly died, and yet I am here. And that's not even the craziest part. _He looked at his brother, who was once again isolating himself from the others. _I am not even sure why I called out to you. I didn't think you would do anything, or maybe not even hear. But then you...you actually put yourself in _more _danger in order to save me._

_I don't understand._

_How strange it is that I have known you all of my life, yet at times it feels as if I don't know you at all. You hate me! You have for years. I assumed the throne thousands of years ago, yet to you it is as if it was yesterday. You've barely spoken to me this entire trip, which has been the first time you've done so ever since Father decided I would rule Egypt. You've insulted me as well as my friends, and act as if the Underworld would be preferable than being within one hundred feet of me._

_Yet you helped me? It simply makes no sense. You've always been one step ahead, haven't you? Always something up your sleeve...if you had sleeves, that is. _

_For Mother. You must've done it because you knew how sad she would be if something happened to one of us. That's it. _He straightened, trying to convince himself that was the end of it. Yet something was still nagging in the back of his mind like a fly that kept buzzing around his head. There was something in his expression, something in his eyes when he'd been trying to grab his hand. _Could it be that...no. _No. _You are not doing that again, __Ahkmen__. You thought that things could change after Mother passed and it was just us two. That maybe since we were all we had, we could come together. And then he left you. That was the end of it, Ahkmenrah_, he chided himself. _He did it for Mother_. _Nothing more. You are going to calm your mind, find Zalaam, trap him, and then go home. You will go your separate ways and that's it. Think no more of it now._

Thankfully, he didn't have to once his mother shouted out, "I see it! Oh, it's just as I recalled."

Snapping out of his thoughts, he saw the Nile approaching. The water glistened in the moonlight, calm and serene. A few stray trees and patches of green stood out in the sand. _I never noticed how beautiful it really is. It's like something out of a...a, um, what are those things called? A photograph! That's the word I was looking for! I suppose you don't really know what you have until you die for thousands of years, live in a museum, then nearly die again because your Tablet needs moonlight. No, wait...I've nearly died twice now._

_Goodness, Teddy is right, I am in danger quite often. _

He saw the group sit down under a tree and followed suit. Dexter got off his shoulder and sat in the sand. Larry took his backpack off and set it in front of him. "You are not going to," Ahkmenrah had to pause to think of the phrase. "'Look up' where the black sand is?"

"Actually, while I was waiting for the plane to get here, the news was on and they were talking about it again. I wrote it down and stuffed it in here somewhere. Which is good, because I actually don't get any service out here."

Ahkmenrah moved a bit closer to him, confused. "But you were able to use a map?"

"Yeah, that still works, Google doesn't, though."

"Oh." _I'm so glad we didn't have this when I was growing up. It sounds very complex. _

He watched Larry start to fish around in the bag. "A'right it's in here...somewhere...okay, yeah, I'm just gonna dump this out. Let's see, Tablet that Dexter isn't going to touch-" he paused to glare at the capuchin, "-granola bar wrappers, more garbage...oh, great, snake crap. That's helpful." He moved the pile of objects around. "Aha!...No, this is an old shopping list. When was I buying kale?"

"Lawrence," Teddy said.

"Right, sorry. Don't worry, I'll find it."

Sensing this would take some time, Ahkmenrah looked up at the sky. Thousands of glowing stars lit up the dark night. The sight gave him a sense of relaxation. His body lost its tension and he exhaled as if he was holding his breath for hours. _Larry was right, we did need a moment to calm ourselves. At least I did. _He took his sandals off and allowed the soft, cool sand to get between his toes. _Egypt may have changed quite a lot since my reign, but it still feels like home. _

Gazing at the night sky, he started to look for any constellations or familiar stars. Ahkmenrah tried his hardest to relax and occupy his mind, but somehow, the temple still crept into his thoughts. Though he told himself not to, his eyes flickered down towards the Nile's shore. Kahmunrah was sitting back on his hands, his legs crossed in front of him. _Just look at the stars, _he told himself. _Everything is quiet. Just don't...Anubis, help me, for I am a fool who apparently wants to be drowned in the Nile. But I have to know!_

He rose to his feet and began to walk down to the shore. _I really do get myself into trouble a lot. I'm crazy for doing this. What am I doing? He's barely spoken to me! He hates me!...So _why _did he help me?! _Before he was ready, he was standing a few steps away from his brother. _Turn around now before he notices you. _But his feet seemed to be stuck in the sand. He cleared his throat and - against his better judgment - spoke up. "May I join you?"

Kahmunrah didn't turn around, only shifted a bit. The moment drew out like a blade. _I should just go back, _Ahkmenrah thought. _This was a bad idea._

"I am not going to stop you," his brother finally stated.

_That..._almost _sounded like an invitation. ...Is this a trick? He's got something up his non-existent sleeves again, hasn't he? _

"Either sit or go somewhere else," Kahmunrah told him, his tone sharpening. "I cannot enjoy the river with your eyes boring into my back."

As if on autopilot, he walked forwards and sat next to him, while still maintaining a good amount of distance. Mimicking Kahmunrah's position, he looked back at the river. _He actually seems to be in a good mood. ...Maybe the temple isn't that important. Bringing it up might upset him. We could just sit here and enjoy the river._

A few minutes passed and Ahkmenrah relaxed again. _The Nile is so peaceful. It's so quiet at night. When we came here before it was always so busy. Children swimming, fisherman...well, fishing, boats always making waves in the-_

His train of thought derailed as Kahmunrah snorted. He chanced a look at him and saw his brother was looking at his bare feet before turning away once again. _Well that was...odd. Why did he just...well, it's probably nothing._

"Never did grow out of that, did you?"

Ahkmenrah's eyes widened as he looked back at Kahmunrah. He was still looking at the water. _Did- did I imagine that? I thought he just spoke to me. I thought he really just _initiated _a conversation with _me.

His brother's dark brown eyes met his and Ahkmenrah suddenly felt like a gazelle sitting before a lion. He gestured back to Ahkmenrah's feet. "Your shoes," he said with a touch of annoyance in his voice. "You always used to leave them lying around. Clearly, you never kicked the habit."

"...Oh. Um, yes, it would seem so." _What is going on right now? Am I hallucinating? Should I say something else? Is that pushing it? This is so unfamiliar. It shouldn't be so hard to do this, but he swore he wasn't speaking to me again. You could argue that before, it was just out of necessity, but now he's just...doing it! Especially after the fight we had yesterday, and when I...oh. _He shifted a bit as it occurred to him that there_ was_ something he should say. "I, um," He hesitated, testing to see if Kahmunrah would snap at him. But he merely looked at him again with an unreadable expression. "I feel I should apologize for hitting you yesterday."

"Calling that a 'hit' is an egregious exaggeration," Kahmunrah countered. "I barely felt it...Don't do it again," he added.

Ahkmenrah brought his hand up to his mouth to conceal his small grin. A splash in the distance drew his attention and he caught a glimpse of a large fish landing back in the water. Feeling some of the ice melt between them, he decided to speak a bit more freely. "Mother is right, there are a lot of memories here." Kahmunrah grumbled in agreement. The young Egyptian moved the sand under his feet, wondering if that would be the end of the conversation he'd been savoring. A minute or so went by. The moment seemed to have passed.

Kahmunrah pointed to the water and Ahkmenrah waited to see what he was going to say. "We used to ride boats down here. While Mother and Father were working."

Ahkmenrah couldn't keep his eyes from widening. He was so surprised that his brother remembered that, remembered _good _things about their relationship. "Yes, yes, we did. We used to race them."

"Right, that was it." He got a smug look and glanced at him once again. "I always won."

"That you did." This time he didn't hide the smile. "It's strange to think that was centuries ago. It certainly doesn't feel that long."

"I don't agree with these changes in Egypt. The temples are almost gone, the palaces abandoned, it's nothing like when we left it."

"As if the kingdom never existed."

The moment hung in the air again. The breeze rustled a patch of papyrus weeds nearby. "Change can be good sometimes, however," Ahkmenrah said.

"It can, I suppose. At the same time, some things never change."

That got his attention. He looked over to his brother, whose dark eyes were still on the water. "The pyramids are still here, at least the larger ones," Kahmunrah continued. "The Nile hasn't dried up...and you still leave your sandals everywhere."

A bit of laughter escaped Ahkmenrah. "At least I didn't misplace them."

"Not this time you didn't."

The smile on the younger man's face was broad now, recalling all the times he'd had to tell his Mother he couldn't find his shoes. Out of the blue, he recalled the temple again and wondered if it would be too much to ask Kahmunrah about it. _He's in a good mood, that is clear. But that could ruin it. Do I want to risk it? For the first time in what feels like forever, we're not arguing or at each other's throats. I don't want anything to spoil-_

"I found it!" Larry's voice called out. "I found the freakin' paper!"

_Maybe it's another grocery list. _

"Well done, Lawrence!" Teddy cheered, loudly. Ahkmenrah's grin turned to a small frown. He heard them mumbling and knew that time was now up. They had to keep going and this moment had to end.

"Boys, we've got to go!" The Queen called. "Mr. Daley says that we can make it to the black sand well before the sun comes up!"

Reluctantly, he rose to his feet. Kahmunrah was already walking back to the rest of the group. The chance had slipped through Ahkmenrah's fingers. And yet…"Kahmunrah!" he called out. His older brother looked over his shoulder, his hair rattling against him. Ahkmenrah opened his mouth but now that he'd done it, the words wouldn't come. It struck him that there was something much more important he should tell him. "...Thank you."

For a moment, Kahmunrah looked a bit surprised. It was clear he understood what he was being thanked for. Ahkmenrah saw a brightness come to his eyes for just a second before fading. "Don't mention it," he told him, simply. After a moment, he added, _"Ever."_

With that, they joined the group. Kahmunrah kept his distance once again. The moment was officially over, yet it continued to replay in Ahkmenrah's mind. _I know I should not focus so much on it, _he thought. _It's not like anything will come of it. He will act as if it never happened, and when this is over, he'll return to the Smithsonian. Everything will return to the way it was. _

_But it is nice to have another good memory by the Nile._

**A/N:** We are getting ever closer to the black sand! This part was so sweet to write. What do you guys think? Ready for some action? Thank you for the comments, favs, and follows!


	18. Chapter 18

After sitting in silence for a while, Jedediah decided to strike up a conversation. "Well, I don't know about y'all, but I'm about ready fer this to be over."

"You were the one who insisted on coming, my friend," Octavius pointed out.

"Well, I didn't know it would be this crazy. I mean, think about it: We been walking round the desert, you an' I got lost and coulda died, then we found the Mirror but Ahk almost died, and now we gotta go wrestle a soul."

"Yeah, it's been a journey," Larry said in an exhausted voice. His flashlight was in one hand and his phone in the other. "But let's hope it's almost over. As long as we just get Zalaam into this Mirror, we can get back home soon. Bet you guys miss the museum, hmm?"

"I'll admit, gettin' a bit homesick," Jed told him. "But, ya know, Gigantor? It ain't the same without ya there."

"Aww, thanks, Jed."

"Are you certain you will not consider coming back to your old post?" Octavius asked.

"No, I'm sorry, guys," he said without hesitation. "I like teaching the kids a lot...assuming my principal doesn't kill me for this unexpected trip. I really miss you guys, though."

"Aww, but you ran it so much better than McPhee does."

"What exactly is your deal with McPhee again?"

"He's so…_serious _'bout everything. He don't even play with Rexy! Dino's gonna go stir crazy."

"I know he can be a stickler, believe me," Larry began. "But you have to look at it from his perspective, too. First of all, he's working both shifts. On top of that, it can't be easy to find somebody to take this job. I mean, most people don't expect to have a museum come to life and have to protect a magical, golden Tablet. It's New York, there's some shady people."

The cowboy mumbled in agreement. _Still doesn't mean he's gotta be such a _grump _all the time. Or keep takin' the car. He don't know how to have fun! _"Well, we still do miss ya," Jed added.

"I miss you guys, too. Who knows, maybe Doctor McPhee would let me come see you guys once in a while. You know, when I'm not busy grading papers."

_Doubt it. That would be fun, and he's against anythin' that involves that._

* * *

Nick hit "submit "on the umpteenth application and set the computer aside. He sighed and thought briefly about taking a nap, knowing he would be up tonight helping Dr. McPhee. Before he could make a decision to get off his couch, a familiar buzzing sounded next to him. He scooped up his phone. "Hey, Alexa, what's up?"

_"Hey, babe," _she said happily. "_Whaddaya say you and I catch a movie tonight? They're showing the new Tom Cruise film at seven-fifteen at the theater by you."_

"A movie? Uh, tonight's no good."

_"Oh?"_

"Yeah, sorry, but I told an old friend of my dad's that I'd go help him out with something tonight. It's gonna take a while."

_"Wait, I thought you weren't talking to your dad."_

"I mean, I'm trying to but he's not answering…anyway, his old boss just wanted a hand tonight. Maybe next week we can go? Hopefully by then I'll have a new job lined up."

_"Wait, I'm still confused. What are you helping this guy with? Cause we can go to a later showing if we need to."_

"I'm cleaning up the museum my dad used to work at. You know, the Museum of Natural History?"

_"... So, we can't go see a movie because this guy needs help dusting off a buncha plastic and stuff?" _Her tone had lost its joy.

"Well it's just… I don't know, I've got good memories there and a lot's going on with me and my dad plus this job stuff… Honestly, the movies should be the last thing on my mind right now. I still don't know how I'm gonna pay rent."

_"Nick, you're gonna get a new job, I promise. Look, why not call this museum guy back and cancel and we'll go out tonight? It'll help you clear your head."_

"I'm sorry, Alexa, but I really don't think I've got the money right now."

_"Don't be silly. Here, you don't even have to pick me up. That'll save you gas. Why don't we meet there at-"_

"Alexa, I already told you _no. _I can't go to the movies with you!"

The phone went quiet for a second. Nick couldn't remember the last time he'd raised his voice at his girlfriend. He was fed up with her asking and already had enough on his mind.

_"... Fine," _she grumbled after a minute. _"I'll go by myself." _And she hung up without a goodbye. Nick sighed, tossed the phone onto the couch, and walked to his bedroom.

_I really just need a quiet night tonight. My head's gonna explode._

* * *

"Gigantor, are we there yet?" Jed complained.

"Umm...I think so. My Map just froze, but I think we're going the right way."

"What do you mean it 'froze'?" The Queen asked. "It is much too hot out here for anything to freeze, even at night."

"No, I mean it, it stopped working for a minute. Well, it's still not working."

"Which means we're lost," Kahmunrah called from the front.

"We're not lost. This is the direction it had us going. It's just...not giving us any more directions."

"I hate to admit it," Ahkmenrah said over his shoulder - the one Dexter wasn't on. "But that does make it sound like we are lost."

"We aren't lost!" he defended. "We're just...just…"

"We're here."

Kahmunrah's voice held no venom in it. In fact, it had no tone at all. He was standing on a small dune, his back towards them. Larry quickened his pace and was soon standing next to him. He could see it before he'd even gotten up the dune all the way.

The black, shadow-like sand had spread to the point that it now looked like a small lake. Larry's eyes widened until they were borderline cartoonish. _It was _not _this big on the news. He's coming soon. We gotta do this. _

"This stuff's multiplyin' quicker than a buncha bunnies in June, Gigantor," Jed said in awe.

"We should do this quickly," the Queen stated. By this time, the rest of the group was looking at the dark pool.

"Yes, but where do we find his soul? This was just a starting point."

"More wandering around the desert? I'm starting to think your brilliant plan was a bit half-baked, Mr. Daley," Kahmunrah snapped.

"Hey, it has to be right here. This is the only place it's happening. We just have to figure out where his soul is." _That's a weird sentence. _

"Maybe there is a clue in the sand?" Lancelot asked. "Like that hidden beetle to get into the Temple?"

Larry looked at him with a pleasantly surprised look. "Lance, that's a good idea."

"Really? Why, thank you."

"Are you certain we should touch it?" Kahmunrah pointed out.

"Do you have a better idea?" Larry glared. He got an eye roll in response. "Didn't think so."

"Dexter, I permit you to make a mess of the sand," Ahkmenrah told him. The capuchin chattered in response before he jumped off his shoulder and raced towards the sand. Larry touched the dark sand with the tip of his shoe, experimentally. When he didn't burst into flames or grow a third eye, he walked further, finding a random spot to try. Like a kid in a sandbox, he crouched down and started to move the grains with his bare hands. "It's going to take quite a while to go through all this sand," Octavius pointed out.

"Yeah, and we gotta find somewhere to hide from the sun," Jed added.

"I know, guys, I know. But this is the only chance we've got at finding his soul. If we don't, it's not the sun we'll have to worry about." He dug deeper into the darkness, hoping to find something. Another beetle. A hidden door. A sign that read "Zalaam's soul lies here." _Anything. _

His head shot up to the sound of Dexter's shriek, only glimpsing the capuchin's tail as it vanished into the sand in a second. _"Dexter!" _Ahkmenrah shouted, running to the spot the animal had just been.

"What just happened?" Larry practically shouted in a panicked tone, standing back up.

"The sand just swallowed Dexter!" Teddy answered.

"Ahkmen, get away from there!" the Queen ordered. "You don't know what could- _aaah!"_

_"Shepseheret!"_

Larry turned around quickly - probably jostling the miniatures - just in time to see Merenkahre disappear into the sand, right after his wife. "No!"

"Everyone off the sand! Quickly!" Teddy shouted.

"We cannot leave them stuck in-" Ahkmenrah didn't get to finish that sentence.

Larry snapped out of his state of confusion and panic and began to run off the black sand. He kept one hand pressed on his breast pocket to make sure neither of the miniatures fell out. Kahmunrah raced past him, but in a blink was pulled under without a word. He couldn't hear Lancelot's armor clanking behind him anymore. He watched in horror as Teddy met the same fate, gripping his hat before sinking down. Larry ran as fast as possible, his lungs burning, but felt the sand suddenly grip his foot and pull. He covered his shirt pocket before feeling the sand yank him down.

Larry felt his lungs screaming, begging for air as he kept his eyes shut, traveling down, down, down underground. The coarse sand rubbed against his skin. Just when he thought his lungs would implode, the sand vanished, and he hit a clay floor on his back with a tremendous sound. A low groan was all he could manage to make. He finally moved his hand from his pocket.

"Ya okay, Gigantor?" Jed asked.

"...Yup," Larry murmured. "Just...bruised my spine." He got up slowly and looked at them. "You guys okay?"

"We are fine thanks to you," Octavius told him.

"I still hate sand."

"Yeah, me too," Larry told the cowboy. He got to his feet and looked around. He'd been able to keep his grip on his flashlight until he'd hit the floor, which he was thankful for because there was no light in the room. The circle of light waved around the room, but there wasn't much to see. All he could find was dry, brick walls. No torches on the walls. No hieroglyphics. Nothing about any Egyptian deities. Just walls.

"What is this?" Octavius asked.

"I think it's like an...unfinished tomb, or something," he told him.

"Fer Zalaam?"

"Yeah, I guess. Maybe he… knew he was dying and wanted to make one. Or some followers of his made it but never completed it?"

"Doesn't look like we're gonna find much here, either way," Jed added. "We gotta find the rest a' the gang and high tail it outta here."

"Yeah," Larry said darkly, "Before that soul finds them."

"Is it down here then?" the Roman general asked.

"That's gotta be why the sand is like this. Sand doesn't just drag people down for nothing. His body's not here, but if his soul possesses someone…" He didn't even want to think about it. Larry's hand went to his backpack and he inspected the Mirror inside. The glass was pristine. Not even a smudge was on it. _Glad that fall didn't do anything. Maybe it's indestructible or something? Egyptian magic is really weird. _He kept the Mirror in hand, replaced his bag and started walking down one of the halls. "Ahkmenrah? Teddy?"

"Sir Lancelot?"

"Rahmenoodle?"

"Dexter?!"

* * *

Ahkmenrah groaned a bit as he got up off the hard, clay floor. _What in the name of Khonsu just happened? Where am I? What happened to the others? _He barely had a moment to collect himself before something warm and furry jumped onto him, grabbing his shoulders. "Dexter!" The young pharaoh grabbed his capuchin, smiling. "Thank Ra you're alright! Goodness, Kahmunrah was right, we shouldn't have gone near that sand. Are you hurt?" Dexter made a few chattering sounds, and Ahkmenrah assumed that meant he was okay. "Well, whatever just happened, we've got to find everyone else and get out of here...wherever 'here' is."

With Dexter back on his shoulder, he started to cautiously walk down the dark hall. There was no light, but his night vision had started to work. Not that there was much to see, anyhow. _I don't like this, _he thought. _Something is...off here. _

"Larry?" He called out in the dark. "Kahmunrah, are you here? Mother, Father? Do you suppose the others got off the sand, or have they gotten stuck down here with us?...Dexter, why do I keep asking you things? You cannot answer."

He walked on, hoping to find someone else or discover a way back to the surface. He kept one hand on the brick wall to guide them. _I wonder if they got off the sand in time. Maybe they are trying to find a way to bring us back up? _

_Then again, how long has it been? We still need to find the soul of Zalaam before he claims someone's body and regains his power. Not to mention, the impending sunrise. What if they cannot find a way to get us? We nearly had to leave Octavius and Jedediah when they got lost. What if _\- Ahkmenrah stopped in his tracks and took a deep breath. _Stop this. You are not helping by doing this. This is no time to panic. Besides, _he realized, beginning to walk again, _Mother and Father are down here somewhere. I'm not sure if Kahmunrah would leave me down here or not, but one thing is for certain: He won't let _Mother _stay trapped down here. He'd sooner turn to dust than allow that. _

With renewed peace of mind, he started to call out again. "Mother? Father, can you hear me?" Through twists and turns, hallway after hallway, he continued to shout for them and listen for any sign that someone was near. "Mother? Father? Can anyone hear me?" _For an empty tomb, there is certainly a lot of space here. At least the echo will help m-_

Ahkmenrah turned around, gasping in fear. _I heard something. There was something behind me, I am sure of it. It sounded like a gust of wind or...No, it must be my imagination. This old structure probably just makes some odd noises. _"Father?" he began again. "Are you here? Anyone?"

Something moved in the dark and Ahkmenrah froze once more. Dexter looked around, so this time he couldn't have imagined it. He hadn't been able to make out a shape, but it seemed like something was in the room with him. "...Kahmunrah?" he asked. "Is that you?" He took a few slow steps. "Brother, I swear if you jump out and frighten me like you always did, I will-"

A rush of cold hit the center of his spine, as if his cape did not exist, and suddenly, Ahkmenrah couldn't move his legs. His head was spinning like he'd just gone in circles and his eyes lost focus. He felt himself wobble, uncontrollably. The cold feeling rushed through his veins in a moment, consuming him. With the remaining strength he had, he tried to choke out a yell, but it was as if he couldn't take a breath. Darkness filled his mind as the world around him went black.

**A/N:** I know, I know, evil cliffhanger. I'm sorry, but this chapter would have been HUGE if I didn't stop it here. That aside, what are we thinking? Be prepared, it only get's crazy from here! (Mwhahahaha!)


	19. Chapter 19

Kahmunrah growled as he got to his feet. His hat was on the clay ground near his feet. Picking it up, he brushed it off and replaced it, seething. "'Let's go play in the black sand', the stupid knight said. 'It's a great idea' they all said. _I _said it wasn't safe, but do any of them listen to what I say? _No. _Now look what's happened. We're stuck in some," he squinted in the darkness, "tomb of some sort. Given the black sand is over it, this Zalaam must have created it. A bit conceited if you ask me, making yourself a...who am I talking to?"

Shaking off whatever that was, he started to walk in the dark down a hallway. "Mother? Ahkmenrah? Father?" _If that moronic knight stays down here, I'll be thankful. Perhaps the annoying cowboy as well. That's assuming Mr. Daley is trapped down here, of course. But I've got to find my family. _"Ahkmenrah? If you can hear me, stop looking for your stupid monkey and help me find Mother and Father!"

He walked down hall after hall not hearing so much as a scarab break the silence. _This is not good. I don't even have a way to defend myself if something should happen. Zalaam's soul could be anywhere down here. It _must _be down here, after all. Why else would the sand change right over this tomb? I knew I should have insisted on holding the Mirror._

_ Love of Osiris, how big_ is _this tomb? Makes me wonder if Zalaam was compensating for something. _He couldn't help but snicker at his own mental joke when a new sound pierced the quiet. He glared down at the shape of a capuchin running up to him, high pitched noises coming from it.

Kahmunrah grumbled as it finally got in front of him, jumping around. "You were the least of my concerns, but I suppose if you weren't found, Ahkmenrah would have another fit like with those accursed miniatures. What has gotten your tail in such a twist?" The animal kept jumping and looking very excited. _For once, I wish this thing knew how to speak. _"Have you found someone?" he asked, hopefully.

The capuchin seemed to give up on whatever it was doing and started tugging at the end of his tunic, trying to pull him back to where he'd just come from. "Stop that!" he ordered, yanking it out of the monkey's hands. "I know no one is back there, I just came that way. What in the world is-" The sound of approaching footsteps made him pause. He looked away from the animal to see the shape of a crown, the crown he once thought would be his. "There you are. Why didn't you answer when I called you? Control your pet; it is having some sort of panic attack."

As Ahkmenrah got closer, Kahmunrah could see more of him in the darkness. For some reason, a proud smirk was on his lips. "What are you so happy about?" Kahmunrah snapped. "And where are Mother and Father?"

It wasn't until he was close did Kahmunrah see it. The cold, dark, menacing look in his eyes. His body tensed and he took a step back automatically.

"How sweet. " Ahkmenrah's mouth was moving but it was not him. Zalaam's voice was calm, yet chilling. Like a cat who had cornered a mouse and now wished to play with it. "You show such concern for your foolish parents. But it is not needed, Kahmunrah. I don't want to hurt them, you see. At least, not physically."

Before Kahmunrah could even _think _of making a move, Ahkmenrah's hand stretched straight out and black sand shot out from his palm, hitting him square in the chest. His feet left the floor as he flew farther and farther back. Finally, his back collided with the wall of the room he'd fallen into. The sand stopped suddenly, and he fell onto his stomach, groaning as he hit the floor. The capuchin seemed to have run down another hall, not that he would have been much help anyhow.

"No, I have a much better plan in mind," the sand sorcerer said, walking into the room before Kahmunrah could even get back up. "Tell me, son of Merenkahre, how will your parents feel? To know that their youngest son will be used as a vessel for my domination," he paused to bring his hands up again, "and to see their other child die at my hands."

The sand grabbed him again before he was ready, pinning his arms to his sides and lifting him off the floor. It was coarse against his skin and strong enough to hold his struggling body. "This must be a change of pace for you, hmm? Being beaten by your brother? Or at least, his form. According to Ahkmenrah, you were usually the one bringing him pain, not just physically either."

Kahmunrah froze for a moment, shocked by his statement. "How do you-"

"I know everything about your family," Zalaam interrupted. "You see, I am in your brother's mind. I have all of his memories. I know about your family, the museum, all of it. It's quite interesting really. He was just starting to hope again."

Before Kahmunrah could even process that sentence fully, Zalaam's magic threw him down another hallway as carelessly as a boy with a ball. His body collided with someone and both of them fell to the ground, hard. Though he was now in a lot of pain, panic took over and he got up quickly, barely acknowledging the man on the floor. Larry Daley got up, groaning, and inspected the Mirror in his hands.

"The Mirror!" Kahmunrah shouted, reaching out to grab it from him. "Give that to me, we have to-" The sentence came to a stop when he remembered what his father had said back at the British Museum. _It won't know which soul to trap. It might not take Zalaam's, it could-_

"Whoa, whoa, where's the fire, Rahmenoodle?" the cowboy asked.

"Yeah, and what just happened?" Larry asked in a bit of an annoyed tone.

Before he could even begin to think of how to explain what was going on, he heard his mother from the other room. "What is all this noise? Ahkmen, is that you? Are you alright, dear?"

Kahmunrah broke into a run back into the room he'd just been tossed out of, Larry behind him, clearly confused. "Mother, no!" He raced up to his parents and got between them and Zalaam. "Don't go near him! He's not himself! I mean he isn't, or he _is _using Ahkmenrah to-"

"Will you take a breath and speak a clearer sentence?" his father snapped. "We've got no idea what you're saying."

"I would listen to your son, Merenkahre," Zalaam said from behind.

The light of Larry's flashlight illuminated his father's face as it flushed to white and his eyes got larger. Kahmunrah couldn't remember ever seeing his father look _fearful _before. He turned to face the man again, putting his arm across his parents to shield them.

"No," his mother said breathlessly.

"Zalaam," Merenkahre began. "Let my son go." There was no force in his voice. "Leave him and take me instead. It is I who you want revenge against, not him."

"You would like that, wouldn't you?" Zalaam teased, smirking.

"Please," the Queen begged. "Please." That seemed to be all she could say.

"I told you," the man said icily. "I told you when I came back, I would destroy everything you loved. You should have taken the opportunity to ally yourself with me when I gave it to you. With Egypt's help, we could have made the _world _our empire. But you were _fools,_" he snapped. "And I've grown so much stronger. With my power, I can accomplish my goal before the moon sets this very night."

The sound of footsteps and a monkey's chattering filled a nearby hall as the capuchin, Lancelot, and Theodore Roosevelt entered the room. "What in the world is going on here?" the mustachioed man asked.

"Ahkmenrah, are you...you aren't…" Lancelot's hand went to his sword.

"Oh, please, even _you _aren't dumb enough to do that." Zalaam chuckled. "No one in your little rag tag bunch would want to hurt a friend of yours, now would you? That's why poor Merenkahre hasn't come at me with that khopesh on his side. Why Kahmunrah hasn't tried to attack me while my back is turned. And why Mr. Daley hasn't used that _precious _Mirror on me. Isn't that right?"

Kahmunrah looked at Larry, who was standing across from him with Mirror and flashlight in his hands. He seemed paralyzed. "Care to take the gamble?" Zalaam challenged. "How much is Ahkmenrah's soul worth to you, hmm? What would you do if you ended up trapping _him _in that Mirror for eternity?"

Everyone was frozen. Kahmunrah watched him, but Larry made no move to use the magical Mirror.

The dark chuckle filled the room again. "It's almost too easy." Zalaam turned to him and his parents again. Kahmunrah could hear his mother's shaking breath behind him. "I told you you would regret your decision. Now you shall lose everything. _Now_ you shall see just how powerful I've become as the world bows before me! And I know just where to begin."

Black sand seeped from Ahkmenrah's bare feet, consuming the floor beneath them. Kahmunrah couldn't even move an inch before it pulled him down. It felt like forever before he could breathe freely again, but just as quick as the sand came, it left. Gasping, he looked around frantically to ensure his parents were still with him. It seemed that everyone had come along for the journey to..._Where has he taken us? _

Tall buildings that seemed to touch the night sky were all around him and the quiet room was replaced by shouting and large, foreign carriages traveling down a black road. With the sand gone, he got up and stood on the firm cement under his sandals, looking back at Zalaam, who seemed very proud.

"Ahkmenrah seems so fond of your New York, Mr. Daley," he told the man. "I wanted to see it for myself."

"Please, let my son go free!" Merenkahre pleaded. "Do what you want to me but leave him out of this. He's done nothing!"

"You see, _now _you beg," Zalaam sneered. "Because you know you will lose. You were wrong to think you could handle me as an enemy, Merenkahre! And now, thanks to your son, I get to show you just how wrong you were."

Another pool of black sand formed under his feet and he vanished into it with a proud grin on his lips. The second he was gone, taking the sand with him, the Queen broke. Kahmunrah was snapped out of his shocked trance as his mother crumbled to her knees next to him, her body shuddering with each sob. He got down next to her and held her shaking form in his arms but had no idea what to say. No one around him seemed to know what to do either. They started to talk loudly about what to do next, but none listened to what any of the others had to say. Kahmunrah looked to his father, who seemed frozen. Paralyzed. _The one time I want you to say something, _he thought. He looked back to where Ahkmenrah's body had just been. _Where did he go? What will he _do?

_Is he really gone?_

* * *

The second Zalaam vanished, it all went crazy. The Queen was sobbing, the group was shouting, Lancelot was swearing revenge for his friend, yet in the midst of it all stood Larry. His mind was going so quick, his body didn't know how to react. There were so many thoughts, so much confusion, too much on his brain! So, he stood, frozen in the middle of chaos. Car horns were blaring with the New York traffic - Zalaam had thankfully magicked them away from the road - everyone was yelling, the miniatures were asking him what to do, until it all just became too much. "Alright, everyone _stop!"_

He was shocked by how loud his voice was. It sounded like something that would've come from the Easter Island Head back at the Museum. But he'd gotten everyone's attention. Even Kahmunrah, who was kneeling down next to his obviously distraught mother, waited to see what he would say. The only thing was, he had no _idea _what to say at all. _We can't go after Ahk, we don't even know where Zalaam went. He could be anywhere in the city! In the state even! _"Okay, let's just...I know this is a real emergency, but standing here shouting isn't going to do anything for anyone. First things first, is everyone here? Did everyone get here through Zalaam's magic?" He looked around and did a quick head count. _Lance, Teddy, Kahmunrah, his parents, Jed, Octavi - wait. _"Dexter? Guys, does anyone see Dexter?"

"I don't see him," Lancelot said.

"I dare say he might've been left behind," Teddy told him in a grim tone.

_Oh God, Ahkmenrah's being controlled by a madman, Dexter's halfway across the world, can anything else go- _His thought came to a screeching halt as he reached around to touch his back. "My backpack. What happened to my backpack?"

"Is this really the most pressing matter right now?" Kahmunrah snapped

"It must've fallen off when I got sucked in the sand! Damn it, the Tablet was in there!"

"So Dex _and _the Tablet are back in Egypt?" Jed asked.

Conversations started to bubble back up. Thankfully, Teddy regained control. "The worst thing we can do right now is panic!" he yelled. "As crazy as everything has gotten, if we lose our heads, we'll lose it all. As for Dexter and the Tablet, we cannot focus on them right now. Zalaam is out there somewhere with Ahkmenrah, and with his powers, there might not be another sunrise, if you know what I mean."

With that settled, he looked back to Larry, who had to take a slow, deep breath. "Okay. We need to...to find somewhere to go so we can think of what to do next. Alright?" That was met with silence and a few nods.

Larry moved like a zombie down the streets of New York, not even acknowledging the strange looks he got from people walking by. He didn't recall getting to his apartment, nor putting the key into his door. It was like he was on autopilot until he got them all inside his house. Once inside, he directed Kahmunrah and Merenkahre to his bedroom so they could attempt to comfort the crying Queen. The rest of them stood around the apartment. Silent. Thinking. Waiting.

He didn't know how long it stayed that way. How long they just stood and tried to think of what to say. It was Jed who finally broke the silence. "Look, the longer we stand 'round here, the more time we're givin' Zalaam. We gotta figure out how to get Ahk back!"

"I think we all know there's only one way to do that, my friend," Teddy said solemnly. Reluctantly, Larry met his eyes and he was forced to admit he was right. He looked down at the Mirror of Wadjet, the only thing beyond the miniatures that he'd managed to bring back with him.

Lancelot seemed to catch on and got a panicked look to him. "Hold on, wait a moment. We cannot...no! You heard what Pharaoh Merenkahre said back at the museum! If we try to use the Mirror now, it could trap Ahkmenrah instead of Zalaam! We don't know what will happen if we try that."

"But what will happen if we _don't?" _Teddy countered. "Somewhere out there is a very powerful man, threatening the entire world as we know it. Thousands of innocent people could get hurt or killed! We don't have time to-"

"To what? To save our friend?! And here I thought he was important to you, a part of your family," the knight spat. "Or is it that you just don't care if he's trapped in that Mirror? After all, you locked him up once, who's to say-"

"Don't you _dare _finish that sentence!" Teddy's yell echoed throughout the small room. "Don't you dare say we don't care about him! You're damn right he's family, and we were wrong to leave him in that sarcophagus, wrong to listen to those guards who told us to never let him out! We made a mistake, and we've been doing everything we can to try to make it up to him. That's why we left him in Britain to be with his family all that time ago."

Teddy paused for a moment, trying to collect himself. Larry wasn't certain, but for a moment it looked like tears were forming past his glasses. "We love Ahkmenrah...but the fact is that it would be extremely selfish of us to let Zalaam take over and hurt innocent people because we won't risk losing him. The fate of the world is in our hands. It's a horrible decision, no doubt of that...but we have to make it."

For a minute, the quiet returned before Lancelot spoke up again. "So, what, the only thing we can do is use that Mirror? Risk his soul? We should try to fight Zalaam!"

"We can't." Larry felt like he could barely speak, his throat was tight with emotion. "He's too strong. You saw him, he can be anywhere he wants to be with that sand. He, he _threw _Kahmunrah at me like he was a ragdoll. There is no way we can take him without using the Mirror."

"And if it takes Ahkmenrah instead?" Octavius asked. "Even then, Zalaam still has power. There wouldn't be anything stopping him. What if the Mirror no longer works if Ahkmenrah is inside it?"

"Guys, I don't even know how we're gonna get close enough to Zalaam for _one _shot at this, there's no way we'll get a second try," Larry admitted.

"So, our _only_ shot to save everything is a fifty-fifty chance that it traps Zalaam on the first try?"

No one answered. But they all knew.

"...I'll do it," Teddy told him, suddenly. He walked over, hand stretched out. "Give me the Mirror."

"Teddy, no, I can't let you be the one to use it on-"

"Lawrence." Again, Larry had to look into his eyes, his all-too-wise eyes. "I heard him," the man said quietly. "I heard him scream in that sarcophagus every night for fifty some years. And every night I walked past him. I left him trapped."

"I know. That's why I'm not letting you do it. You can't have this guilt on you if it goes wrong. I'm doing it." Larry's tone was as firm as it could get. Teddy's mouth opened, but the sound of the Queen's crying filled the room for a moment before a door closed. Kahmunrah and his father entered the room with stone-cold faces. Larry cleared his throat. "How is she-"

"Horrible," Kahmunrah told him, staring down at the brown carpet. "She's horrible."

"Thank you for allowing us to use your home," Merenkahre said without emotion.

Larry nodded and looked away from them, not wanting to say it but knowing it had to be said. "The, um...the only way to stop Zalaam is to-"

"We are well aware of what must be done, Mr. Daley," Merenkahre told him.

For some reason, that felt worse than telling them. Larry swallowed hard. "Alright then. It's settled."

He waited, looking around, actually hoping for an objection. For someone to think of a better plan. It was wishful thinking.

"You both should stay here," Larry told the Egyptians, "with the Queen. Lance, you can stay behind if you-"

"_No,_" the knight told him quickly. "If I cannot rescue my friend -" He drew his sword in a blink, and it glistened in the light of the room. "Then I will avenge him."

Larry knew better than to argue with that. "Okay, if you're sure, then...just give me a minute, okay?" Without waiting for a response, he went into his kitchen and took his cell phone out of his pocket. Finally getting reception, he dialed the number automatically and held it to his ear. One ring. Two rings. Three. Four.

_"Hey, this is Nick. Sorry I can't answer right now, but I'll call back when I can. You know what to do."_

"Hey, Nicky, it...it's me. Look, I can't explain it now, but whenever you get this message, go right home and stay there. Everything's about to get really dangerous and I don't want you to be out on the road when it does. And if something happens, I'm sorry about fighting with you. I really am...I love you. "

Hanging up, he replaced the phone. "That was real nice, Gigantor," Jed told him.

"Thanks." He walked back into the room and gently got them out of his pocket, placing them on the arm of his sofa. "I think you both know it's too dangerous for you guys." For once, the cowboy didn't try to argue that.

Teddy and Lancelot looked at him, anxiously. "Alright," Larry began. "Let's go find Zalaam."

With the Mirror in hand, he walked them out to his car. As the engine came to life, only one thought replayed in Larry's mind: _I said I wasn't going to lose any of them again. I promised he'd never have to worry about being locked up again. _

_Some "Guardian of Brooklyn" I turned out to be. _

**A/N: **So, um...Happy Valentine's Day!


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: **Okay so...I decided since you've all been so ridiculously supportive - your comments literally make my entire day, I swear - and you have all had to deal with my cliffhangers...you deserve a bigger chapter this time.

That and there was no way to break this part up.

So, thank you all for reading my story and warming my heart and I can't wait to see what you think of this part.

Nick ran up the stairs to the museum where McPhee was waiting to open the door. "Hey, I'm so sorry I'm late," he said, a bit out of breath.

"Well, you volunteered to help, so," the curator said, letting him inside. "You're not that late, anyhow. The sun's just barely set." Nick sighed. Even being an adult now and a little taller than McPhee, he was still a bit intimidated by the man. "Now that you're here, we can start figuring out what to clean first."

Within a few minutes, Nick was moving a mop around the floors and Doctor McPhee was cleaning some shelves in his office nearby. It was so quiet, which was strange to Nick. He found himself looking over at Rexy now and again, thinking he would move. _Museums are kinda weird at night…well, I guess this is _normal _for a museum at night, but not for this one. _

A vibration on his side snapped him out of his mopping motion, but only for a second. He didn't even think of reaching for the cell phone. _Bet it's Alexa. She probably wants to snap at me a little more or make it seem like I'm somehow in the wrong for not taking her out to a movie. I have rent to worry about! I can't keep taking her out!_

He kept mopping and let the phone go to voicemail. _It's not important. This is. At least doing this makes me feel like I'm doing something right._

* * *

Ahkmenrah groaned a bit as he opened his eyes. His head was spinning as if he'd just run in a circle two hundred times. _What in the name of Hathor just happened? I feel like I've just been run over by something. Where am I? Oh no, Dexter probably ran off. _His eyes focused but he couldn't see a thing in front of him. Everything just seemed dark. And _cold. _His nerves heightened and he got to his feet, quickly. A rattling noise filled the air as he tried to take a step forward but was denied. "What?"

That was when he noticed them. The black, heavy shackles chaining him to the wall behind him. Ahkmenrah's breathing started to pick up as he began to panic. He tried to pull the chain, experimentally, but it didn't give at all.

_"Oh, I wouldn't even put in the effort, young pharaoh," _echoed a chilling voice from nowhere in particular. _"Those chains won't break, no matter how hard you will them to."_

Ahkmenrah's eyes darted around the dark room, but no one could be seen. "Where are you? _Who _are you?"

_"I think you know."_

That was the moment. The moment his fear became reality. "Zalaam," he said in just under a whisper.

_"Very good!" _The disembodied voice chuckled darkly.

Through the fear and darkness, Ahkmenrah somehow found his voice. "What have you done? Where is my family?!"

_"That is your concern? Truly? You would think you would be more worried about your own predicament, hmm? Or has it not totally dawned on you yet?" _Zalaam's overly pleased tone sent a shiver down Ahkmenrah's spine. _"If I were you, I would be a lot more distraught over knowing I was going to be kept prisoner in my own mind. To be a mere _puppet, _controlled by the most powerful man in the world. Does that not sound a bit troublesome when I put it that way?"_

His heart was beating fast in his chest and it was getting hard to slow his breathing. It was all coming at him so quickly. He was alone in a dark room with no way to stop Zalaam. He couldn't move, he couldn't _fight, _he couldn't do anything!

"...They'll stop you," Ahkmenrah choked out. "My family won't let you take over."

The laughter echoed all around him and Ahkmenrah's knees nearly gave out on him because of it. _"How naive_ _you are, Ahkmenrah! How hopeful, how childish!_ _It's quite amusing. You truly don't see the big picture here: It's over. Nothing can stop me. In fact, my army of sand warriors is currently rampaging your New York City. There is _no one _who can make this end! What you see before you is your reality now. I am in control from now on, and you are my prisoner._

_"And if this family_ _of yours _does_ try to defeat me," _Zalaam continued. _"Don't worry, you will know. You will hear them scream."_

Just as quickly as it came, Zalaam's voice vanished. For some time, tears had been trailing down Ahkmenrah's face, but he paid them no attention. His frantic breathing was the only sound that could be heard. _He's going to destroy it all. He's going to kill everyone! So many people are going to get hurt, my _family, _what will they - We should've never gone near that sand, and now everyone's going to be killed because of it! No, no, this can't happen! I have to stop him before someone gets hurt!_

Ahkmenrah seized the chains in his hands and pulled. He pulled until his knuckles were white. After who knows how long, his hands gave way and he fell to the hard floor. The only thing that had broken was Ahkmenrah.

* * *

Jedediah's black boot kept hitting the button on the remote control like it was on autopilot. The television was flickering from channel to channel for no more than a second. Neither him nor Octavius were paying it any mind. How could they? Jed had only turned it on to drown out the sound of the poor Queen.

No one had spoken in a long time. Kahmunrah had come into the room a while ago and sat on the other part of the sofa, but even then, they'd said nothing. There was only the methodical clicking of the remote.

Finally, the words that no one wanted to say came out of Jed's mouth. He took his boot off the button for a moment and looked to Octavius, who was sitting on the arm of the couch with him still. "...You think it'll work?" he asked. The Roman's chocolate eyes looked at him. "The Mirror? I mean, you think we'll get Ahk back, er…"

Octavius looked away for a moment before answering. "Who can say? It's out of our hands. All we can do is hope. I don't think the stakes have been higher, though. Ahkmenrah is in danger, the Tablet is missing, Zalaam could kill our friends, destroy everything...I don't think we've ever dealt with something this big."

"Got that right, ol' buddy. But, hey, Gigantor's gotten us outta rough spots before, right?"

"You are correct. Maybe everything will work out in the end. But if it doesn't-"

"Don't start sayin' that," Jed told him. "We gotta...we gotta think positive, right? Like you were sayin' back in Egypt?"

The Roman looked at him for a moment before a smile came to his lips. Jedediah still marveled at his ability to do that, even at the worst times.

* * *

Kahmunrah's eyes were on the flickering screen, but he wasn't focused on it at all. He was just thankful the noise was combating his mother's cries. After trying repeatedly to console her, he could stand it no more and came to the other room. There were only so many times he could listen to her sob and say how she wished Zalaam had taken her instead.

He kept his eyes on the screen and tried to think of something else, anything else, but the image kept coming back like a deadly plague. The image of those eyes, cold and dark but once so bright and inviting. Those eyes that used to look up at him, happily. Those eyes that were once so familiar.

_They'll get him back, _Kahmunrah told himself over and over. _They will. That's how this always ends, with Mr. Daley winning and evil losing. I know it firsthand. They will find a way, somehow, to trap Zalaam and bring Ahkmenrah back. Then this shall all be over._

_The Mirror is only a fifty-fifty chance, though, _he thought, though he tried not to. _Suppose it doesn't work. Zalaam would kill whoever stood in his way. Everything would be destroyed. Ahkmenrah would be trapped in that Mirror for all eternity. _Something in him flipped a bit at the thought. _But that won't happen. They'll bring him back. They have to, or…_

_Listen to me, it's ridiculous. How many times in my life have I told him to go away, to get lost? I didn't speak to him for years, haven't seen him for centuries, and now I want him back. It's insane. I am going mad, I must be._

He shifted his position and looked at his feet. But he could not stop thinking.

_Realistically speaking, though, there is a chance they will lose. Zalaam is extremely powerful, not to mention there are only three of them. Three men armed with a sword and a mirror. Those aren't good odds at all. Perhaps they lose. Perhaps they die at his hands. Then everything ends. Mr. Daley had a hard time fighting me, how can he possibly win against Zalaam? Perhaps that's the last time I see him then, before the sun comes up. Perhaps that conversation by the river is the last thing we say. I'm not even sure what the last thing I said was. Perhaps - stop it! This never bothered me before and it certainly shouldn't bother me now! It's his own fault Zalaam took him and not someone else in that tomb, not mine. I will not feel guilty about this. If he's trapped forever, it's on Mr. Daley and his wax dummies! I did my part! I'm the only reason he got out of that molten Temple! I saved his life, my consciousness is clear! I could've let him burn, but I didn't!_

Kahmunrah looked up from his feet as his own words sunk in. _I could have. I could've been rid of him just like I always wanted. But I didn't. _His hand gripped the end of his tunic. Somehow, it felt like the room had gotten warmer. _I didn't because Father would've shouted and said I could have done something. I didn't because Mother would have been the weeping mess she is now. I didn't because...I couldn't. I couldn't leave him to that fate._

_Now his situation is even worse… _

_What am I supposed to do, though? _He thought. _Just find some weapon nearby, march down the streets, and try to save him again? It would be suicide! Zalaam already tried to kill me once, I am sure he would love a second try. I wouldn't be any help either way! _

Kahmunrah folded his arms across his chest and leaned back, trying to convince himself of that. It nearly worked until something occurred to him.

_Zalaam just wanted one of us; it didn't matter which. It would've affected Mother and Father the same way, no matter if he possessed Ahkmenrah or me. It could have been me if he hadn't found Ahkmenrah first. I could have been the one potentially stuck in a Mirror forever or controlled by a madman. _

_And if it had been me, well, knowing Ahkmenrah, he wouldn't be sitting here, would he? He, with all of his naivety and optimism, would have gone along with Mr. Daley and tried to save me after everything. After the arguing and the throne...and not speaking to him for years...and leaving after our parents died… and trying to steal the Tablet and rule the world..._

The tapeworm of guilt was eating away at his insides like it had been starved for eons. _He would be there even though I wasn't._

_Damn it all to Set. I've lost my mind entirely, but I've got to do something. I can't leave it up to those three morons to save him. I need a plan- some other way to stop Zalaam. There has to be something we can do to avoid using that Mirror, it's too much of a risk._

The screen in front of him flickered as he tried to think of what he could do. _If we captured Zalaam somehow, could we force him to release Ahkmenrah? Maybe with four people, we could...no, not with his power. _

"Jedediah, go back," the Roman said. "That was the local news."

Kahmunrah barely heard him in his thoughts. A blonde-haired woman appeared on the screen, looking frantic. Behind her were people running every which way, some of them made from black sand, others running for their lives. "_\- mass chaos in New York!" _she shouted. _"Officials are advising _everyone _to remain indoors at all costs! There are strange people rampaging the city! Some witnesses have said they appear to be made of some kind of sand! All government buildings are being shut down, the Empire State Building evacuated! No one knows just what's going on, but please, do _not _leave your homes!"_

_What, am I supposed to _beat _Zalaam out of his body? _Kahmunrah thought. _That wouldn't work at all, not even if_ _I could get that close to him! Goodness, the one time I don't want to beat Ahkmenrah up. What timing._

_"I have here a list of currently closed roa- _whoa!" The blonde reporter was suddenly seized by her shoulders by another woman, who looked panicked and was out of breath._ "Um, excuse me, ma'am,"_ the blonde began,_ "but I'm in the middle of-"_

_"Statues!"_ the strange lady shouted. _"Talking statues! In the park!"_

_"Wha- statues?" _The reporter repeated. Kahmunrah suddenly tuned into the conversation and looked back at the screen. _What did she say?_

"Yes!" the woman shouted. _"I saw it! I was in Central Park, and the Hamilton statue was moving! And he started talking to me! He doesn't sound like Lin-Manuel Miranda!"_

_"Miss, I think you're suffering from hysteria. You shouldn't be out here right now," _the reporter explained, but no one was listening to her anymore.

"That's the Tablet!" Jedediah shouted. "It has to be!"

"But I thought the Tablet was long gone, back in Egypt," the Roman countered.

"Well, it certainly ain't Zalaam doin' that."

Kahmunrah's brain was going a mile a minute when it suddenly came to him so quickly, he got to his feet like he'd been electrocuted. "The monkey!" He turned towards the miniatures so quickly, his hair rattled against his back. "That's the only way!"

"They musta both came here with us after all!" Jedediah exclaimed.

"But why did he run off, and with Larry's backpack?" Octavius asked.

The cowboy snapped his fingers. "I bet Dexter wanted to make sure Zalaam couldn't get the Tablet! He was probably so spooked, he just took it and ran to make sure it was safe!"

"Oh, please, as if that animal could string together a thought like that," Kahmunrah said with a roll of his eyes.

"Well, you believe what you wanna, but either way, Dex mighta just saved the world!"

"How do you mean?" Octavius asked.

"Think about it: If we go find Dex and the Tablet, we can go get everyone else back at the museum! With all of us, we just might-

"Just might have enough manpower to give us a shot at stopping Zalaam," Kahmunrah finished in awe.

"Exactly! Ain't no way Zalaam could win with an army on our side! We could wrestle him down and make him cough up Ahkmen- hey, where ya goin'?"

Kahmunrah was already making his way into the kitchen, his eyes scanning the small room. _If I'm going to go up against Zalaam, I need something to fight with. Let's just hope Mr. Daley doesn't only use flashlights to defend himself. _He started opening every drawer he could find, trying to look for maybe a dagger or - _Aha! _

He grabbed a large knife with a blade that looked to be almost eight inches or so and held it in his hand, experimentally. _It's got no grip on it and won't cut through the air nearly as well as what I'm used to. But it will have to do, I suppose. I've still got to track down that monkey, and who knows how long that will take? _He turned and began to walk out of the kitchen.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Kahmunrah gasped and his shoulders went up at the sound of his father's voice behind him. He sighed and turned around to face him from across the small room. "No, please, sneak up on me again while I'm holding this large knife. Let's see what happens."

"Watch your mouth," Merenkahre ordered. "You are not going anywhere."

"Oh? Are you really going to _stop _me from rescuing your son?"

Merenkahre barely blinked, his hands folded firmly across his chest. "I do not have time for this, not when your mother is so upset. I only came out here because I heard all the noise you were making and thank Ra I did. Now put that knife down right now."

"What part of 'I am going to rescue your son' are you not getting here? What, do, do you think I can't do it? Is that it?"

"I am not arguing with you. Do as you are told!"

"Stop talking to me like I am a _child! _I am going to stop Zalaam and get Ahkmenrah back! I can't believe you are fighting me on this!"

"I _forbid you _from walking out that door!"

"Forbid all you want! I don't care if you think I'm going to mess it up like you thought I'd mess up Egypt! If there's one thing I know how to do, it's this! You can't stop me!"

By this time Merenkahre was getting red like he'd gotten a sunburn. "This is my final order: Put that knife away and assist me with your Mother! This is not about you!"

"Of _course _it isn't, that's what I'm saying! I can't believe I'm going to go save him and you're telling me not to just because you think I can't! How many times are we going to have this argument?! Really?! Do you not get tired of it?! Is this _fun _for you?! What? What is it? Why won't you just let me do this for you, this one thing?! Do you really have so little faith in m-"

_"I will not lose another son!"_

Merenkahre stared at him, his fists tight at his sides. His face was firm and yet his lip seemed to tremble a bit. The anger in Kahmunrah's body evaporated like water on a warm day and was replaced by confusion and shock.

"I won't," his father repeated. "It...it is my fault Ahkmenrah is in this mess. I should have taken Zalaam more seriously. I should have stopped him when I had the chance. Now because of my mistake, he could be Zalaam's puppet forever or trapped in Wadjet's Mirror with no way out. I might never see him again, and it is because of my own foolishness...I will _not _lose you as well."

For a while, nothing happened. They stood there, staring at each other as Kahmunrah processed what his father had said. He swallowed hard, like he hadn't done it in forever, and gazed at the floor. The look in his father's eyes was hard. The emotion they held. "...You won't," he said after a while. He looked up again at his father.

Merenkahre said nothing though Kahmunrah waited for some kind of response. He looked into his son's eyes and studied him. Finally, his shoulders sank, and his hands were unclenched. "No. I will not allow you to leave...not with that knife."

Before his eyes, his father unlooped the small khopesh on the side of his tunic and held it out. In awe, Kahmunrah stepped forward and took it, his hand just touching his father's for a moment. "Stop Zalaam," Merenkahre told him. "Bring your brother back. Do not get hurt. Do you understand me?"

In shock, all he could do was nod his head.

Kahmunrah held the weapon in his hand tightly as his father left the room without another word. Kahmunrah was left in the kitchen, part of him still reeling from the exchange. After a minute, he was nearing the door when the arm of the sofa called out.

"Whoa, whoa, hold yer horses there, Rahmenoodle!" the cowboy shouted up to him. "Ya can't go without us!"

"I can and I am," he said shortly. "You will only get in my way." His free hand reached out and gripped the door handle. He saw the cowboy smirk and throw up his hands.

"Suit yerself. But yer takin' an_ awful_ big chance, ya know."

There was something about his tone Kahmunrah didn't like. As if the miniature knew something he didn't. "What do you mean by that?" he snarled.

"Well," Jedidiah's hands went into his pockets and he paced around, confidently. "I'm just thinkin' that it's gonna be pretty dang hard for you to save yer brother without us. I mean, ya never been to New York b'fore."

"I've navigated my way out of a desert, I think I can handle it," Kahmunrah defended, not wanting to waste any more time.

"Sure ya can, sure ya can. But what about when ya find Dexter? He don't really trust you. I don't know if he'll wanna give you the Tablet. But for yer sake, let's say he does. Then you gotta get to the museum A-S-A-P."

"You don't know where that is either," the Roman said, clearly catching on. Kahmunrah let go of the handle and looked at the two of them.

"But let's say you find it anyway," Jedediah continued. "'Cause you're just that good. You really think they don't know you there? That they don't know all about the Smithsonian and how you tried to kill me - a beloved friend of theirs - 'swell as Gigantor? Why would they believe anything you say? Why would they trust you? Heck, who's to say they'd even let you get a word out before gangin' up on ya?"

Kahmunrah raised his eyebrows. Surprisingly, this was making sense. Why _would _they trust him?

"Aw, but you don't gotta worry bout that," Jedediah told him. "No, yer problem's gonna be right when you walk in: Rexy." He waited for a moment, as if Kahmunrah was supposed to know who that was. "He's a Tyrannosaurus. That's fancy talk fer 'big, giant dinosaur'."

Kahmunrah felt the color drain from his face as he recalled the _last _interaction he had with a dinosaur.

"Mmm hmm, thought that might get ya." The cowboy smirked. "An' Rexy's a _lot _bigger than Trixie. At least twice her size. Bigger teeth, too. Think you can control somethin' that big? Last I checked, you weren't the best with animals."

"We are, though." Octavius had a hand on his hip and was pretending to clean something out from under his nails, sharing his friend's confident look. Kahmunrah grumbled under his breath.

"I've known Rexy fer a long time. I can get you past him easy. And I'll make sure everyone else knows yer on our side. But hey, if you wanna go it alone, it's no skin off my-"

"You've made your point," Kahmunrah snapped. His teeth were gritting in his mouth. Mulling it all over quickly, he knew there was no way he'd be able to save Ahkmenrah without the help of the miniatures. _I can't do much of anything if a dinosaur mauls me. _He glared down at the two men and pointed the tip of the khopesh at them. "How do I know you won't double-cross me? Given our _history_-" His eyes moved to Jedediah. "I don't think you'd mind watching your friends attack me."

"Yeah, but here's the thing: Jus' like you need our help, we need yer's, like it or not. We wanna help, too, but we can't do anything bein' so small. You gotta get us to the action. 'Sides, how am I supposed to tell Ahk I let you get hurt? He's a friend 'a mine and fer some reason he cares about you."

He lowered the khopesh and crinkled his nose. _"Fine." _He caved. "But you'd better do as you say."

"Ya got my word, Rahmenoodle." The cowboy smiled.

"And you have to stop _calling _me that." Without waiting for a response, he grabbed both miniatures probably a bit harder than was necessary and reluctantly placed them on his shoulder, having no pockets to put them in. A chill went up his spine as they grabbed onto a lock of his hair. _They're like insects, _he thought. With that, he opened the door and began to walk down the hallway.

**A/N: **I have been DYING to post this chapter! Kahmunrah is taking action! What are your thoughts? And again, thank you for any comments, follows, and favorites! You have no idea how much happiness they bring me. :)


	21. Chapter 21

Larry swerved out of the way of another pedestrian. People were running all around the city, frantically, and it was getting very hard to drive anywhere without ending up partially on the side of the road. Every so often, he would hear emergency vehicles race down the roads. This was by far the worst traffic Larry'd ever been in.

"Are you seeing these sand people?" Lancelot asked from the backseat.

"Yeah, I think I ran one over," Larry told him, frantically. "Zalaam must've released his army already."

"Then we don't have a lot of time," Teddy said, sitting beside him.

"But we don't even know where they are!" the knight yelled.

The car shook as Larry went over a speed bump. He was going over the speed limit and wondered if this was how Jedediah would normally drive. "Well, we gotta think of something." He turned the car down another road. "The roads are only gonna get worse and the more time we give Zalaam, the more time he's got to destroy the city."

"And the more time Ahkmenrah has to be used as his vessel," Lancelot added sourly.

Larry tightened his grip on the wheel, involuntarily. Just the mention of Ahkmenrah was putting his stomach in knots all over again. He dared to look away from the road for just a moment, gazing at the Mirror in Teddy's hands. _Please know which soul is Zalaam's, _he begged. _Don't trap him when he's done nothing wrong. Please, just know which one to take._

* * *

Ahkmenrah curled into himself and hugged his knees even tighter. Cold tears had dried on his cheeks. His wrists were red from his many attempts at fighting his restraints. His breathing was quick and frequent, like no matter what he did, his lungs weren't satisfied. The breathing techniques Larry had taught him years ago when he'd expressed how fearful the sarcophagus made him hadn't worked at all.

Some time ago, he had no idea how long, he'd heard Zalaam's voice somewhere. He'd given orders to his army. His plans were fully in motion now, Ahkmenrah was sure of that. And he couldn't do a thing about it. After that, the silence had returned and he was left with only his panicked thoughts: He was alone, it was dark, and he couldn't move. His family was in danger and there was no way he could save them. He was alone, it was dark, and he couldn't move. His family was in danger…

* * *

New York was in such turmoil, no one took note of the tall man in the large hat and outlandish clothing, nor the miniatures that sat on his shoulder. Along the way, Kahmunrah had somehow managed to avoid the sand soldiers that were mentioned on the news report. There were so many people, so many places for them to be, it seemed he was just in the right place at the right time.

By the time he'd followed Jedediah's instructions to Central Park, the new night had started to age. The moon glowed high above, but it was getting lower. Time was starting to become a worry. "This monkey had better be around here still," he growled. His sandals met the cold, dew-covered grass as he started to walk around the park.

"With all these trees, I would think it would be a good hiding spot for Dexter," Octavius observed.

"Yeah, but there sure are a lot in here. We gotta find him quick, b'fore Zalaam does somethin'," the cowboy added.

"And before Larry gets a chance to use that Mirror."

With that, the two miniatures began to call out for Dexter as Kahmunrah's eyes looked around the area. Octavius was correct, Central Park had hundreds of trees and bushes, all of which were good spots to hide. Not to mention, the park was very large from what he could tell in the dark. _How are we going to find something so small? _

"Come on, Rahme- er, Kahmunrah," Jedediah began. "Yer big mouth is gonna do a lot more good than ours will."

He wasn't sure if "big mouth" was meant as an insult or if the cowboy just meant that his was larger compared to theirs. Either way, he sighed, feeling a bit ridiculous, and followed suit. "Dexter?!"

"Come on, Dex, we ain't got time fer games! Ya gotta help us save Ahkmenrah!"

They carried on like that for who knew how long as Kahmunrah walked around the park, looking for any sign that a monkey had been there recently. _Of all the animals Ahkmenrah had to get attached to, _Kahmunrah thought as he continued to shout, _it had to be a monkey. Could have been a snake, or a cat, but _no. _He had to go with the one that throws things and doesn't listen when you call its name. _Amongst their shouting and the loud noises from the chaotic city, he heard the sound of a dog barking somewhere nearby. It was a loud, frequent noise that only got more pronounced as he kept walking. _I even would have preferred one of those compared to a monkey. A dog would at least come when called if trained. How would you even train a monkey?...Then again, at least the monkey is _quieter. _I can't focus with all the barking it's doing. What in the world could be bothering it so… _Kahmunrah's head snapped towards the loud noise. _Please be what I think it is. _

He quickened his pace a little, looking at his shoulder every so often to make sure the miniatures were still there. If they got lost again, he'd never get into the museum without a fight. As he got closer, the source of the sound came into view. As it turned out, it wasn't a real dog making all the racket, but rather the statue of Balto that had come to life. Its curled, bronze tail was wagging frantically and its front paws were on the trunk of the tree it was barking up.

"Look! There he is!" The Roman pointed his finger, and Kahmunrah's eyes followed the trunk of the tree upwards until he saw a long tail up on a high branch.

"We found 'em! That dog musta scared him up there," Jedediah said happily.

_It's about time, _Kahmunrah complained. He quickly walked up to the tree and saw the dog's head turn to him. "Shoo," he ordered. The statue merely looked at him with large eyes and whined a bit. "Go on, get out of here. Go chase your own tail or something." He waved it off. Balto surrendered and trotted off towards another group of trees, his tail wagging behind him.

"You really ain't good with animals, are ya?" the cowboy asked.

Kahmunrah brushed off the question and looked up into the tree again. Dexter's brown eyes were on him and the backpack was hanging on a sturdy branch. "Well?" he asked. "Are you going to stay up there all night?"

The capuchin blew a raspberry in response and Kahmunrah furrowed his brow.

"I don't have time for your monkey business." He ignored the snickering miniatures. "I am not going to climb up there and get you. Give me the Tablet before Zalaam can do any more damage."

"Yes, come on, Dexter," Octavius told him. "We really do need that backpack."

"I know ya don't like Kahmunrah, but ya love Ahk, don't ya? We need yer help if you want him to come back."

Dexter made a few chattering sounds and looked at Kahmunrah. "Are you going to come down or not?" he snarled. "We are wasting time."

"C'mon, Dex, it's okay. Kahmunrah wants to help this time, ya ain't gotta worry."

"We have to trust him, for Ahkmenrah's sake," Octavius told him.

"This is ridiculous," the Egyptian stated. He glared at the miniatures. "It can't understand what we're saying! Reasoning with it isn't going to do a thing! I'm just going to have to climb up there and-"

A loud _thump _was heard and Kahmunrah looked to the ground. Larry's backpack was a few steps in front of him. Kahmunrah looked down at it, flabbergasted. Dexter climbed down the tree and looked up at him, standing on his back legs.

"Well, wouldja look at that." Jedidiah grinned. "Guess he's smarter than ya think."

Kahmunrah shot him a glare and picked up the bag, feeling the weight of the Tablet. His eyes went up to the sky and checked the moon again. _That took too long, _he realized. _We need to keep going, and quickly. _Just as he was about to start walking again, however, a pair of furry paws grasped the end of his tunic. Before he could stop him, Dexter climbed up his torso and onto his other shoulder. Kahmunrah scowled at the animal. "I don't recall giving you permission to do this. Ahkmenrah may tolerate it, but I-"

"Aww, just suck it up," Jedediah told him. The amount of confidence the cowboy had around him was starting to get on his nerves. "'Sides, with the city as crazy as it is, yer gonna want 'em near ya."

"Ahkmenrah would be devastated if something were to happen to him," Octavius added.

The monkey gave him a toothy grin and Kahmunrah restrained himself from pushing the animal off of him. He had bigger things to concern himself with. "Tell me how to get to your museum," he ordered.

"A'right, we gotta make our way back to the streets," Jed explained. "From there it should be just like a big square."

As he started to walk out of the park, Kahmunrah did his best to ignore the miniatures and monkey on his shoulders. _Ahkmenrah had better be grateful for this, _he grumbled. Once out of Central Park and back on the sidewalk, the chaos of the city became clearer again. Every so often, red lights would flash nearby, and loud sirens would wail down the road.

"New York's losin' its mind," the cowboy said.

"The sooner we stop Zalaam, the better," Octavius agreed. Dexter made a strange chattering sound as if he was contributing to the conversation.

After walking a bit more, they saw a large, white building across the road. "There it is, there's home," Jedediah told him happily. Cautiously, Kahmunrah crossed the street, which was thankfully not busy what with all the chaos, and approached the Museum of Natural History. As he walked, he figured out how to use the strange "zipper" on the bag and opened it to look at the Tablet. It was glowing like a star and he could almost feel its energy. With every step he took, Kahmunrah got a bit more apprehensive, knowing he would _not _be getting a warm welcome once inside the building. He glanced at the cowboy on his shoulder. _If you don't get them on my side, I swear... _

Kahmunrah jumped a bit as the statue in front of the museum awoke. The horse reared on its back legs with a whinny and its rider shouted, excitedly. He took a deep breath and walked up the steps, past the tall, white pillars. Finally, the only thing in the way was the glass door. "A'right," Jedediah began. "Here's the tricky part."

_"This _is the 'tricky part'?" Kahmunrah repeated.

"Yeah, 'cause the door's gonna be locked, an' if ya bust it, alarms are probably gonna go off. So," he clapped his hands, "what ya gotta do is find a way to reach the roof. Maybe climb up the building an' use the windowsills to get a good grip. From there, ya have ta-"

Kahmunrah blocked out the rest of the insane idea. Curious, he reached out for the handle and pushed it a bit. The door opened easily, and he looked back at the miniatures.

"Now, assumin' you can fit down that, it should land us by the Hall 'a African Mammals. There's lions there, but Egypt had a buncha cats in it, right? So-"

"Jedediah," Octavius said. He pointed to the door.

"Hm? Oh!...Well, whaddaya know, McPhee fergot ta...huh." The cowboy looked a bit sheepish. Kahmunrah glared at him and got a weak smile in return. "...Guess that's gonna make it easier for ya. Let's get goin' then."

"If you don't convince your friends that I'm not a threat, I promise you-"

"Hey, hey, no worries," Jedediah told him. "I gave ya my word. You just walk in, an' I'll show ya what to do."

The Egyptian held his gaze for a moment longer before opening the door more. As he took a step inside, the Tablet gleamed even brighter. He hadn't taken more than ten steps before his eyes landed on the enormous dinosaur skeleton a few feet away. Kahmunrah froze in place as the bones began to move. The eye socket opened and closed, like it was blinking. The ground shook a bit under his feet as it stepped off its pedestal.

"Well?" Kahmunrah whispered, trying not to let the fear come out in his voice. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Just stay where ya are and don't make any sudden moves," the cowboy instructed. "Don't go to him, let him come to you."

"I don't want it _near me."_

"Well the only way he's gonna let you keep goin' is if you let him get ta know ya and figure out you ain't a threat."

"But what if it-"

A thunderous roar cut him off and Kahmunrah's heart skipped a beat. Rexy lowered his head down and growled, stomping over to him. _Oh, Ra. _

"Don't get squirrely, that'll make him feel threatened," Jedediah ordered. "An' don't panic, he can smell fear."

"How? It's a _skeleton."_

"Yeah, I was messin' with ya on that one. But really, don't move."

"Rexy won't attack unless you give him reason to," Octavius said.

The tyrannosaurus stomped up to him and Kahmunrah couldn't help but notice its large teeth. The cowboy wasn't kidding. Rexy stopped a few steps away from him and brought his nose down to Kahmunrah's face. He could feel its breathing.

"Don't do anything," Jedediah told him. "He's just feelin' you out is all."

Kahmunrah held his breath as the dinosaur narrowed his eyes. _Ahkmenrah, if I survive this, I swear... _Rexy seemed to study him for a moment and after what felt like forever, backed up a bit.

"There ya go," Jedediah said. "That means yer okay. He backed up, that means he knows you ain't a threat."

The Egyptian exhaled but the dinosaur continued to look at him.

"Now reach yer hand out _slowly _an' pet him."

"What?"

"Reach yer hand out and pet his nose. It lets him know you're friendly."

Kahmunrah set down the backpack and looked down at his hand. He slowly brought it up, hoping it would still be there in a moment. Cautiously, he extended his arm and let it meet the space between the dino's nostrils. After his arm wasn't viciously bitten off, he moved his fingers a bit across the smooth bone. A gust of wind moved his hair as Rexy's tail wagged behind him. He heard it start to pant, happily.

"Man, I wish I could film this." The cowboy smiled.

"Are we done?" Kahmunrah asked, trying hard not to sound desperate. "We do have a reason for being here, you know."

"Well, Rexy seems to like you, so ya should be okay."

He put his hand down slowly and the dinosaur stood tall again, cocking his head a bit.

"Go on, Rex, go play," Jedediah told him.

Like magic, the dinosaur turned around and walked off as if the Egyptian had never been there. Kahmunrah finally relaxed a bit, hoping that would be the worst of it. _And that, _he thought, _is why we worshipped cats. _He picked the backpack up again.

"We have to find Dr. McPhee, the curator," Octavius told him. "He'll be able to rally the museum together."

"Gotta be 'round here somewhere. Try going down that hall."

Kahmunrah did as he said while his eyes scanned his new surroundings. By this time, the exhibits were out and about. A few antelope ran down the hall past him, their hooves clomping on the hard floor. A few men in uniform with bayonets walked by but did not look at him. At least, Kahmunrah assumed so. They didn't exactly have eyes.

"Just what am I supposed to say to this curator?" the Egyptian asked. "That some crazed sand-welding Sorcerer is going to take over the world unless we all go stop him? And we have to find him before a magic mirror potentially traps Ahkmenrah's soul forever?"

"You jus' let us do the talkin', Rahmenoodle."

"I thought I told you to stop calling me that. What does that even mean?"

Jedediah opened his mouth but was cut off as Dexter let out a shriek and jumped off of Kahmunrah's shoulder. He ran down the hallway on all fours and was quickly out of sight. "Dex, where ya goin'?" the cowboy called.

_Good riddance, _Kahmunrah thought. Just as he began to brush the fur off his shoulder, a loud voice rang out. He looked up and saw four men on the second floor near the stairs. Attila the Hun, who he recalled from the Smithsonian, was pointing a furious finger right at him. He could see the pink in the Mongol's face even with the distance. With another yell to his men, they drew their weapons and began to run to the staircase.

"Aw, Hell!" Jedediah shouted in his ear. "Quick! Speak their language!"

_"What?" _Kahmunrah yelled, his eyes widening. "I don't know what they're saying!"

"You don't speak Hun?!"

_"Why would you think I speak Hun?!"_

The shouting got louder and Kahmunrah looked back to see Attila with a large blade in his hand getting dangerously close.

"Run, man, run!" the cowboy shouted. "Run like the wind!"

Kahmunrah didn't waste another second. He raced down the hallway, dodging the passing exhibits. The miniatures were hanging from a strand of his hair, but they were no longer a priority. The angry yelling behind him was still getting closer. He charged up another staircase, having no real idea where he was going. Attila was shouting furious gibberish behind him and it only seemed to be getting closer.

**A/N: **I sure do love making Kahmunrah run for his life. The museum is alive again! Also, in regards to the virus, I just hope you all stay safe and DON'T PANIC. Things will get better. Thank you for reading as always and for any favorites follows, and reviews.


	22. Chapter 22

Nick was doing his best to keep his mind occupied as he walked down the quiet hallways dragging a mop bucket along with him. _McPhee's right, this place did get kinda dirty. What kinda parents let their kid stick candy on the cavemen? I'm starting to get why he doesn't like little kids._

He dragged his mop along but paused for a moment. Sacajawea's glass exhibit was covered in handprints. Nick mumbled under his breath and reached for the glass cleaner he'd hooked on his belt along with a rag. _Maybe we should put a sign on here, this is crazy. How hard is it to not put your hands on this?...Wow, I even _sound _like McPhee. What is going on with-_

A small noise made him jump a bit. He looked up to see Sacagawea tapping on the glass, gently, from the inside. She smiled and gave a small wave, her eyes bright. "Oh, hey, Wea. Long time no - what the! You're awake?!" She made a confused face and pointed to her ear. _Oh, duh, she can't hear me in there. Wow, lack of sleep is really messin' with me right now._

He assisted Sacagawea out of her exhibit and looked to see that Lewis and Clark had already started their nightly argument. _They've been up for like, three minutes. What are they fighting about? _

"Thank you, Nicky," Sacagawea said in her usual calm, light voice. "I'm a bit surprised to see you. It has been quite some time since I last saw you, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, it's been a couple years I think."

"You got taller."

"Yeah?"

She nodded. "What brings you back?"

"Oh, um, I'm just helpin' Dr. McPhee out with, like, cleaning and stuff."

"That's very nice of you. He's been rather overworked since your father left. Speaking of which, he, Ahkmenrah and Teddy must have returned since we are all awake again. Shall we go greet them?"

Nick looked to the floor for a second.

"Is everything alright?" the Shoshone woman asked.

"Uh, yeah." He faked a smile. "Yeah, I'm good. Let's go see what's up."

They walked out of the room and Nick tried to think on what he was going to say to his dad. _I guess I just say hi and then see what he does? I mean, it's been a while since I blew up. Maybe I just say sorry and then ask how Egypt was? He's probably had other stuff on his mind with whatever that black sand stuff was. I wonder what was up with-_

Nick had just rounded a corner when someone crashed into him, knocking him onto the floor. Groaning, he barely got a glimpse of the person before they got back up and ran off again. _I guess that's why McPhee has the "No running in the halls" rule, too. _ He started to sit back up when a new voice called out.

"Nicky! Thank goodness we found ya!"

Nick looked over and saw none other than Jedediah and Octavius on the floor nearby. "Hey, guys, what are you doing-"

The sound of pounding footsteps and loud shouts cut him off. He looked over his shoulder only to be met with the sight of a red-faced Atilla and three of his men racing down the hall, weapons drawn. Without wasting a second, he snatched up the miniatures and got to his feet, putting a protective arm in front of Sacagawea and stepping out of their way. The Huns raced past them without a single glance.

"What is going on?" Sacagawea asked.

"We ain't got time to explain, ya gotta stop those Huns!" Jedediah shouted.

"Yes, Kahmunrah is not a threat to the museum at the moment!" Octavius told him.

"Wait, that was _Kahmunrah? _Ahk's crazy brother?!"

"Yeah, yeah, it's all messed up but ya gotta go after 'em! We'll clear it up after, promise!"

Baffled, he looked at Sacagawea, but by her face he could tell she agreed with the miniatures. Confused, he held the two men in his hand and started down the hall after the Mongols. Sacagawea was just a few steps behind him. Nick ran as quickly as he could, making sure the miniatures didn't fall out of his hands. He dodged bouncing kangaroos and nearly ran straight into Christopher Columbus. By the time he'd found the Huns again, they'd ended up in the Hall of African Mammals. Most of the animals had, thankfully, left the exhibit, but the remaining ones were even more riled up and watching the action.

Kahmunrah was backed against a wall as Attila raised his sword. The Egyptian held up his own weapon and blocked his shot, but that only angered the Hun more. "If you'd just hear me out for a _moment_," Kahmunrah shouted over their yelling, his lisp more pronounced. "I could explain everything, I mean there's really no need for - you don't understand a word I'm saying, do you?"

_"Attila!" _Nick shouted, breathlessly, pushing past the other Huns. "Attila, _stop!"_

"What have we told you about your temper?" Sacagawea added.

The Mongol's dark eyes darted towards them, his teeth still gritted. The long sword was still inches from Kahmunrah's face. "Attila, you need to back off, okay?" Nick told him firmly. "You know the rules; you're not allowed to kill people in the museum."

Attila shouted out some gibberish and pointed furiously at Kahmunrah with his other hand.

"Yeah, I know, man. I get it," Nick said, putting his hands up to his chest. "Believe me, I don't like him anymore that you do. I mean, this guy literally tried to kill my dad a few years ago."

"An' me!" Jedediah said, raising his hand.

"Whose side are you on?!" Kahmunrah asked in a panicked tone. Attila looked at him again and growled.

"But you can't go around killing people just because you don't like them," Nick told him. "C'mon, man, I know you're better than this."

"Attila," Sacagawea began. "I understand he has wronged us in the past, but two wrongs do not make a right. Getting your revenge will make you no better than Kahmunrah."

"Yes, and though we may not like it, he is actually here to assist us," Octavius shouted.

Attila's eyes met Nick's before flicking back to the Egyptian he had at his mercy. With a snarl, he sheathed his weapon and backed up a bit, muttering in his native tongue. His face had gone from red to more of a light pink.

Kahmunrah looked as if he was recovering from a heart attack. He straightened himself and looked at Jedediah. "If I'm not mistaken, our deal was that you would _prevent _that from happening."

"Hey, hey," the cowboy said, holding his hands up defensively. "I can't speak a lick 'a their language. I jus' figured if we ran into them, you'd have to talk to 'em."

"I don't speak Hun!"

"Well, I thought ya could! I mean, Ahk knows how to...lemme rephrase that."

Kahmunrah bared his teeth and made a move towards Nick, who still held the miniatures. Without fear, Sacagawea stepped in front of him with her hand out. She stared at the Egyptian with a look in her eyes that made Nick think of his mother when she was mad. "If I were in your position," she said firmly. "I would not do anything foolish."

Kahmunrah's rage became a look of surprise and he retreated slowly.

"Thanks, Wea," Nick told her. _No wonder she and Teddy work so well. _He opened his mouth to say something when footsteps marched into the room. A very pale, tired looking Dr. McPhee ran inside.

"There you are!" he said, catching his breath. "I've been looking for you. Have you seen your father? With everyone up he must be back now. I'd like to have a word with-" He looked around and took in the scene. "What's going on here? And who is this?" He gestured to Kahmunrah.

"A'right." Jedediah clapped his hands. "'Bout time we clear this up, 'cause we're wastin' moonlight. First, intros. McPhee, Nicky, this is Kahmunrah, Ahk's brother. Kahmunrah, this is Gigantor's son, Nick, an' Dr. McPhee. I'm assumin' you remember Wea from the Smithsonian." Nick looked at Kahmunrah, who didn't look overly pleased to meet him. "Now that that's taken care of, we got a real issue," the cowboy continued. "Y'all hear about that sand changin' color in Egypt?"

"The black sand?" Nick asked. "Yeah, McPhee told me that was where you guys went. Something about an ancient enemy or something?"

"Exactly right," Octavius told him.

"Basically," Jedediah said, "the sand meant that this crazy guy, Zalaam, was gonna come back for revenge on Ahk's family and try to take over the world. The catch was his soul was gonna have to possess someone's body fer him to do it."

"Possess someone?" McPhee parroted.

"So, we had to go on this crazy journey to find the Mirror of Wadjet, which could trap Zalaam's soul forever," Jed told them. Nick was doing his best to process all the information. "Thing is, if he got a body, the Mirror could take the wrong soul!"

"Zalaam rose up before we could stop him. His sand warriors are all over the city as we speak," Octavius jumped in. "...And he overpowered Ahkmenrah."

_"What?" _Nick and McPhee said in unison. Sacagawea placed a hand over her mouth.

"Ahkmenrah?" Attila asked, paying full attention now.

"Yeah, an' now yer dad, Lance, and Teddy are trying to find him and use that Mirror!" The cowboy concluded.

"Wait, but I thought you said that it might take Ahk instead of Zalaam," Nick said. His eyes were wide from the insane story.

"It can, but it was the only solution we had at the time," Octavius told him. "But now that we've woken up the museum, we think we might stand a chance of fighting Zalaam. Even with his magic and soldiers, we may have a shot at stopping him without risking our friend's life."

"And we're wasting time," Kahmunrah added, impatiently.

"Well, we have, we need to, to, to _do something!"_ Nick shouted. "We've got to get the museum together right now!"

"Wait a moment, wait," McPhee told him, frantically. "Do we even know where this Zalaam is?"

"All we know is that he is somewhere in New York," Octavius chimed. "At least, we hope he still is."

"Well, we can't just parade the exhibits around the city, blindly!" McPhee yelled.

"But we must help Ahkmenrah," Sacagawea argued. "We cannot risk him being trapped in this mirror forever! Or worse, under the control of this Zalaam."

"And if my dad finds Zalaam first, he could really get hurt. Him, Lance, _and _Teddy!" Nick told him.

"Hey, wait a sec!" Jed shouted. He looked to the Egyptian. "Kahmunrah! You tried to take over the world b'fore!"

"...And?" he replied.

"If you were in Zalaam's shoes, where would you go? If yer plan was workin' and you had it all, whaddaya do next?"

"_That's _your idea?" Kahmunrah asked.

"Hey, it's all we got! You wanna get yer brother back 'er not?"

Kahmunrah furrowed his brow but was quiet for a moment. "...I don't know," he said after a moment. "If I was that powerful and knew I'd be successful...I suppose I would just watch it all unfold? I'd want to see everything fall into place, find somewhere where I could see it all. Does that answer your moronic question?"

A lightbulb went off in Nick's head. "The Empire State Building!"

"You think he would go there?" McPhee asked.

"Why not? When my dad took me to the top, we saw the whole city! He could see any possible attack from miles away."

"Jedediah," Octavius began. "Didn't that woman on the news say that building had been evacuated?"

The cowboy brightened. "Hey, yeah, yer right!"

"I think we just figured out why," McPhee conceded.

"Then we gotta get everyone," Nick said. His stomach was knotting up at the thought that Ahkmenrah was trapped once more and his father could be in danger. Every cell in his body wanted to go and go _now. _"C'mon, guys, we need to tell everyone what's going on."

By the time they got to the staircase once again, the museum had started it's nightly party. Music was blasting and everyone was either playing a game or dancing. Nick made his way right to the DJ booth, which was manned by a Union soldier. "Hey, I gotta cut in for a sec," he told the faceless mannequin. "It's an emergency." The soldier backed up immediately and Nicky got to work hooking up one of the microphones. _And Mom and Dad said DJing wouldn't come in handy in the future. _Once it was all set, he cut the track mid-song. "Hey, um, excuse me…"

All eyes turned to him and Nick felt a chill go up his spine. "Um, hi. Look, I'm sorry to cut the party short but we've got a big problem. An evil sorcerer has taken over New York and now wants to control the world as we know it. Not only that, but he's using our good friend, Ahkmenrah, to do it and a few of our other friends could be in grave danger." The exhibits got into an uproar, instantly and Nick looked around at their panic. "Guys, just, just stay with me here! We've got a plan. Hello! Look, ya gotta listen to-"

_"QUIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!" _

The shout of the Easter Island Head pounded on Nick's eardrums. For a moment, one could hear a pin drop in another state.

"Dum Dum Junior want to speak," the booming voice concluded.

Nick cleared his throat, his ears ringing a bit. "Umm...thanks. As I was saying, if this new enemy isn't stopped, Ahkmenrah could be trapped forever and we could lose our friends...including my dad," he added quietly. "So, we need you all to help us before anything else happens. We've got to come together and fight for our city and our friends! Who's with me?!" he yelled, throwing a fist in the air.

A cacophony of cheers rang out as the Museum of Natural History signed up for the battle. Rexy's energized roar beat them all.

Nick didn't miss a beat. "Alright, here's what we're gonna do. All of you arm yourselves and meet outside by the statue. I want the Civil War soldiers, the Huns, and anyone else with a background in battle at the front!" The Huns shouted in agreement and ran to meet their new brothers in arms. "Sacagawea," he began. The Shoshone woman held her head high. "You go gather anyone else who knows how to heal and gather supplies, okay? I want everyone who leaves this building to come back in one piece. Make sure to get the First Aid in the office. After that, grab your bow and arrows and head outside."

"Right away."

Exhibit after exhibit, Nick gave them their marching orders, building up an army. With each word, he felt a confidence rise up in him like a fire. They listened without objection, scrambling to their duties when he was finally through. He took a deep breath and watched what he'd done with a sense that he'd done well.

"That was real good, Nicky," Jed congratulated from his hand. "Sounded jus' like yer dad."

Nick's eyes widened at the comment and the hint of a smile came to his face. Kahmunrah cleared his throat and the moment was ruined. "I hate to interrupt, but we should be _going!"_

"Um, they're not going anywhere," McPhee interjected, gesturing to the miniatures in Nick's hand. The young man looked at them and gave in, handing them over.

"Aw, c'mon, McPhee, we wanna save Ahk too!" the cowboy objected. "Nicky, c'mon!"

"Sorry, guys," he told them. "You gotta sit this one out. Ahk's already in danger, I don't want anything to happen to you."

"And the Tablet goes with me as well," Dr. McPhee said firmly. Though he was the shortest of the men, Nick watched him gaze at Kahmunrah with ice. The Egyptian handed him the backpack he'd been holding, surprisingly without a fight. The man removed the Tablet and turned back to Nick. The young man flinched a bit from the determined look on the man. "Anything happens to my exhibits, I promise you will be sorry. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir." Nick forced the idea of losing anyone else out of his mind.

"Good."

As the curator rushed off towards the Egyptian exhibit, Nick finally focused his attention on Kahmunrah. "Umm," He shifted uncomfortably. "I mean, I guess just-"

"If you honestly think I am about to take orders from a teenager, you are _sadly _mistaken," the man interrupted sourly.

"I mean, I'm not a teen, but...okay"

"Just keep your little friends out of my way and make sure I get to Ahkmenrah."

Without another word, he walked off with a khopesh in hand, towards the door. Nick ignored the man and quickly got down to the ground floor. Rexy was jumping, excitedly, like a dog who had to use the bathroom. "I know, I know," he told the skeleton. "I didn't forget about you."

The dinosaur lowered its head, expectedly and Nick quickly got on its back, holding on tightly. For a moment, a memory flashed by of when he and Ahkmenrah had ridden around on the dino, years ago, laughing and having fun. A knot formed in his stomach. "We're gonna go get him," he told Rexy. "Before this Zalaam can do anything else. And before Dad uses that Mirror." _Or worse, _he thought. _Zalaam could kill my dad, and- _He fought the idea off like the plague. There was no time for doubts. He sighed and ordered the skeleton to exit the museum. The exhibits were waiting in the moonlight, watching as he got in front of them. The moon was high enough, but he knew it wouldn't last long. "Stay close behind me," he shouted to the museum inhabitants. With that, the dinosaur began to stomp down the road, leaving enormous tracks behind him. Nick jumped a bit with each movement but kept his eyes on the Empire State Building, the top of which he could see clearly. _We're coming guys. Just hang on._

* * *

"Aw, c'mon, McPhee!" Jed shouted up from the man's chest pocket. "Ya gotta let us go!"

The curator didn't even glance down, just kept speed-walking down the halls with the Tablet under his arms. "You two are staying with me until this is over and that's final."

"But-"

"Jedediah, for the last time I am not letting either of you out of my sight. God knows you'll find trouble, and from the looks of the city, there's plenty of it to find."

The cowboy clenched his teeth in his mouth. He pulled Octavius closer and moved the helmet a bit so he could whisper in his ear. "I say we jump for it."

"Jump?" Octavius parroted, his eyes widening. "That's quite a fall. We could get hurt very easily."

"Yeah, but I'm willin' to risk it. Look, all our friends are out there, and Ahk needs our help. I don't wanna see Zalaam take over the world an' know I didn't do my part to try to stop it, much less let one of our guys get hurt 'er worse."

"Are you certain we can't try to convince Doctor McPhee?"

"You heard 'em, Octy, he's not budgin'. We stay with McPhee, we'll prob'bly end up hidin' in the broom closet er something. But just 'cause he ain't willing to go fight fer our friends don't mean I'm gonna be stuck with him while everybody else tries to save Ahk. Ya with me?"

Octavius glanced down to the floor for a moment before nodding.

"Okay, on the count 'a three. One." He looked forwards again, trying to see just what room the doctor had walked into. It appeared to be the Egyptian exhibit, but the more Jed looked, the more he saw how different it looked. "Wait, did this place get bigger or am I losing my head here?"

"No, it definitely changed since we left," the Roman agreed. "Doctor McPhee, did you have Ahkmenrah's exhibit enlarged for a reason?"

"Yeah, you expectin' a new mummy, er..?"

The man raced around Ahkmenrah's empty sarcophagus and went to fill the space in the wall where the Tablet belonged. "No, we are not getting a new mummy," he said quickly. "Just thought it would be nice if he had more space with as much help as he is."

"...Oh." Jed shifted a bit in his pocket. Doctor McPhee replaced the Tablet and quickly got out of the room, passing the two Jackal guards on the way out. The cowboy was too caught up in his thoughts to remember his plan to escape. _That prob'bly cost a lotta money. Kinda weird fer McPhee to do all that just to be nice. I mean, Ahk deserves it, a'course but..._McPhee? _Mr. "Don't touch that, it's expensive"? What in the world is-_

"Jedediah?"

The cowboy snapped out of it and looked at Octavius. "Were you...still counting to three?" he asked.

"Hm? Oh, yeah, right! Umm...he's walkin' kinda quick, maybe we should wait till he stops fer a minute. That way we don't get hurt as bad."

"Good idea."

They waited patiently as McPhee made his way into his obsessively clean office and started to open the desk drawers, frantically. "C'mon," he mumbled. "Where the bloody hell, why can't I find them when I need to?"

The miniatures looked at each other for a moment before Octavius spoke up. "What are you searching for, Doctor?"

"My _keys,_" he told them in a frantic voice. "I can't find my car keys! They should be right - I always - they always go _right - _I don't know why I can't find - my coat! They must be in my coat." He ran over to the coat hanger on the wall and started to look through the pockets. "Aha! Finally!"

"What's he need those for?" Jed whispered. He turned to see a smug look on the Roman's face. "What?"

"I told you," he said quietly.

"Huh?"

"I told you McPhee cared about us."

Jed widened his eyes for a moment but quickly brushed it off. "Aw, quit it, we ain't got time for that. So he redid Ahk's room while we were gone. That doesn't mean he's-" The sentence stopped all of a sudden as the chilly New York air hit his face and nearly blew his hat off. McPhee ran over to a decent sized black car, unlocked it, and quickly got inside.

"Whoa, whoa, wait a sec," Jed began, confused. "What are we doin' here, McPhee?"

"Oh, well, I just thought we should go out for a bit and enjoy the city," the Brit quipped. "You know, before it's destroyed. What do you think? We're going to help get our young pharaoh back and make sure others aren't hurt. What, did you think we were just going to go hide in a closet or something until this was over?"

"...Uh...no, a'course not." Jedediah shot the smirking Roman a glare.

"Well apparently everyone else did because they left without us!" McPhee said. "Now we're going to have to catch up to them." The car came to life with a hum and pulled out of the parking lot.

"You know," Octavius began. "I'm not usually one to say I told you so, but...I told you so_woah!" _

Jedediah almost fell into the pocket as the car sped up dramatically. "Hey, McPhee, be careful! The city's gone coo-coo! You could get in an accident er somethin'!"

"I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that, Sheriff 'I wrecked another car'. What's the matter? Going too fast for you?"

Octavius snickered a bit and Jedediah looked at him again. "'Course not. Just surprised me."

"Good, good," McPhee said. The cowboy looked at his expression and saw a smirk on his lips. "Because we're going to have some _fun." _

Jedediah lurched forward, almost losing his hat. He watched as the needle on the speedometer kept climbing: fifty, sixty, seventy. "Don't ya think that's kinda dangerous?"

"Do you want to go help everyone or not?"

"Yeah, but I figure ya wanna do it in one piece! Yer gonna get in an accident out here! The city's gone haywire, everybody's goin' crazy."

"I do hope you see the irony in this," McPhee told him. He rounded a corner and the tires screeched under them.

"Won't the police stop you at this speed?" the Roman asked.

"With everything else that's going on in this city right now, I certainly hope a speeding car isn't their priority." Another sharp turn. Jedediah couldn't believe what he was seeing. McPhee raced past a red light without a concern and swerved around a bunch of debris in the road. They were going so quick it was hard to tell what they were even passing.

"McPhee, you lost yer marbles?! What happened to followin' the rules 'a the road and making sure everything's all safe?"

"There are times when you've got to take the rules and just toss them out the bloody window. When the world is close to being conquered and our friends are in mortal peril, it's one of those times."

"Whoa, whoa, that wasn't the attitude when _I _was breakin' the rules."

"No, it was not. Because you, Jedediah, never break the rules when it's acceptable to do so."

The cowboy opened his mouth to argue, but surrendered as he recalled all the times he'd crashed into something or almost broke something. "Guess ya got a point there." He rubbed the back of his neck for a moment before asking another question. "So, what's yer plan here?"

"You said he had some weird warriors made of sand?"

"Yes, we saw them on the news," Octavius told him.

"Then we're going to take them out and make sure the others can get to our pharaoh in need."

"Wait, so yer just gonna...run 'em over?"

"That's the idea." He nodded.

Jedediah's eyes widened. "Okay." He shrugged, not sure what else to do. "What umm...what can we do ta help, then?"

"It scares me that I'm putting you two in charge of this," he began. "But don't let me crash."

**A/N: **Hi, guys! I hope you are healthy and keeping as calm as you can be. Again, a bit or a larger chapter because, 1. What else can we do right now other than stay inside and read and 2. It was either I make this one long or the next one, so, here we are. I hope you guys enjoy! The museum is on the way to help! But will they make it in time?

Also, just due to everything that's going on, I'm leaving a link here to donate and help other people through the CDC: give/ways-to-give

Please help if you are able and take care of yourselves! Sending virtual hugs.


	23. Chapter 23

Larry was driving quickly, trying to find any sign of Zalaam, any clue to where he could have gone.

"He could be anywhere by now!" Lancelot said. "We're driving in circles and wasting time."

"He was the one who brought us to New York; I don't see why he would just leave," Teddy countered.

"So we wouldn't _find him! _That's why! He could be halfway across the world with Ahkmenrah, and we would have no idea."

"Can we stop the arguing and maybe help me look for him, please?!" Larry asked. "Maybe then we'll get something!"

He turned down road after road, hoping for something, anything at all that would tell him where to go, where Zalaam had taken their friend. The streets were still full of abandoned cars and random debris. _C'mon, Ahk, where are you? _He thought desperately. _Where did you go? Where would Zalaam go in the city?_

The moon was getting lower and the muscles in his body were getting tenser. He swerved down another turn and was met with flashing red and blue lights. The road was blocked off by a few squad cars, orange traffic cones and yellow construction tape.

"Must be an accident," Teddy observed.

Larry slowed down and placed his hand on the gear shift, preparing to back up and turn around. "...Wonder if the cops saw anything we could go off of," Larry pondered aloud. He put his hands back on the wheel, rolled down the window, and approached one of the officers. A tall policeman with a mustache looked at him. "Hi, excuse me?" Larry began.

"Road's closed. You're gonna have to turn around," the man said firmly.

"No, I get that, I'm just, I'm looking for somebody. I've been drivin' around trying to find a man dressed in a cape and gold skirt. He's got a crown on, he's like six foot-ish, olive skin-"

"Sir, given the current crisis, we haven't been able to get a good look at anyone. We were told to come down here and block off these roads, that's all. If I were you, I would get you and your friends here back inside and worry about your buddy later. It's not safe out here."

"Yeah, but-" Larry stopped himself. _What am I supposed to say, that he was possessed by an ancient dead guy with sand magic? _"Got it, thanks. Hey, um, is there any way to get around all this, err?"

"All the roads going this way are gonna be blocked off from here to the Empire State Building. If you live over there, you aren't gonna be allowed to get past. You're gonna have to back up and go the way you came."

"A'right, thank you." The officer nodded and Larry rolled the window back up.

"Well, it was a good try, Lawrence," Teddy told him.

Larry started to put it in reverse and back up, but he processed what the cop said. "Why would they block all these roads off?"

"Is that not normal?" Lancelot asked.

Teddy looked at him and seemed to read his mind. "You think Zalaam went that way?"

"Why else would they have all this blocked off? And with all the cops?"

"Why do you think he'd go to that part of the city of all places?" Lancelot interjected.

"I don't know. It's just weird. There's no accident or anything I see and none of the other places are like this." Larry scanned the area and tried to make sense of it all. He looked up to check the moon again and everything clicked when he saw it. He pointed to a large tower not too far away. "Empire State Building. That's what they're blocking all the roads off to."

"It's a big building," the knight observed. "Good place to hide, I guess."

"Gentlemen," Teddy began, "Didn't Zalaam say that he brought us all here because he wanted to see the city for himself?"

"You can see it all from the top." Larry's mind was made up. "That's where he is. That's why they don't want anyone there. He probably walked in and used his magic. That's why the area's blocked off. It's gotta be."

"Well even so," Lancelot pointed back to the police cars, "how are we going to get there? I'm assuming your technology doesn't allow us to just _fly _up there."

Larry sighed and put the car in drive again, knowing it was the only way past. "I'm gonna get arrested," he mumbled.

"Lawrence?" Teddy gave him a confused look.

"Hold on to something," he told him firmly. With that, he gunned the engine in a way that was fit for Jedediah. The tires squealed as he approached the road block. The policemen started to shout but got out of the way when they saw he clearly wasn't stopping. The car tore through the yellow police tape and Larry jumped a bit as the car flattened an orange cone.

Once he was past, he looked in the rearview mirror. "They're not following us," he said with relief. "They're probably too busy, they don't have a lot of units available to go after me."

"Well _done, _lad!" Teddy cheered.

"Now we've just got to get to this tower of yours," Lancelot added.

Larry glanced back at the Mirror in Teddy's hands and the feeling of dread filled the pit of his stomach. A small part of him wished they'd never found Zalaam so they wouldn't have to put Ahkmenrah in even more danger, but that would endanger everyone else. _This is crazy, _he thought. _How are we gonna get close enough to even _use _the Mirror? We don't even know how it works! Does he have to look into it, or hold it, I don't know! How do we-_

A loud _bang _was heard, and Larry jerked forwards. Teddy did the same and Lancelot was nearly on the floor. "I thought you had a seatbelt on."

"A what?" the knight asked.

Larry sighed and got back to the matter at hand. The car had stopped on a dime and a small sound was heard, like the wind almost. "We popped a tire," he concluded. "No big deal, we're just gonna...why isn't the car moving?" He pressed the gas pedal to the floor and heard the remaining tires start to spin, but the car stayed put like it was made of stone. "What the? Hang on, I gotta look at this."

Larry unclicked his seatbelt and got out of the car. _Front tire looks alright. Back tire…_ A long spear was buried deep into the rubber_...Oh no. _The situation dawned on him too late. Shapes in the darkness walked closer, their footsteps inaudible. A few men made of black sand stalked closer. One had a bow and arrow, prepared to shoot, the other two were armed with long spears identical to the one currently in his tire.

Lancelot shot out of the car, sword in hard, immediately dueling with one of the spear warriors. Teddy ran to the battle as Larry snapped out of his panic. He raced to the car tire and yanked the spear out, quickly. The moment he turned back around he was face to face with a warrior who raised his own spear up. Acting fast he blocked the shot, surprised at just how strong a man made of sand could be. With his arms blocking the attack, Larry had no choice but to kick the soldier in the midsection. His foot left an imprint for a moment but disappeared quickly as the sand filled the space back up again. Larry's back was slammed against the car as the sand man pressed his spear against Larry's chest. To his horror, a second warrior came up and raised his own weapon into the sky, preparing to strike.

Lancelot's sword swept through the sand man's neck with ease then slid down its middle. He made quick work of the one immobilizing Larry as well. Before Larry's eyes, the warriors dissolved into puddles of black sand.

"They don't stay down for long!" Lancelot shouted, already moving to another soldier. "They just reform a moment later!"

"Lawrence!" Teddy yelled. "Take the Mirror and go!"

"What about you?!"

"Lancelot and I will hold them off! Unless you get to that tower and stop Zalaam, his minions are just going to keep coming back!"

Knowing better than to argue in a crisis, Larry tossed him his spear since the wax president had nothing else to fight with beyond his hands. Without wasting a second, he got back into the car and snatched the Mirror off the passenger seat. Because the car was immobile, Larry broke into a run towards the Empire State Building, taking a moment to look back at Teddy and Lancelot. Fear seized his insides as he thought of how much he didn't want to lose anyone else. For all he knew, he'd already lost Ahkmenrah.

The enormous building got closer and closer as Larry kept running. _I gotta think of some kinda plan. Without Lance and Teddy, I have to figure out how to get Zalaam in this thing myself. How am I supposed to stop him when he's magic?! How am I gonna...oh God._

Under the moonbeams and lights on in the Empire State Building, Larry could see Zalaam's army guarding the tower. There were at least a thousand ebony sand warriors, all armed with bows, spears, shields, everything Larry didn't have. A few of the faceless men turned his way.

_I'm not even gonna get that far, _Larry realized.

An arrow whizzed past his ear and a few other men approached him quickly, spears pointed at him. Panicking, he turned the Mirror towards them. A red light seemed to emit from the snake head that was carved on the handle and one of the soldiers was pulled forwards, like it was magnetic. He disintegrated in a blink, vanishing into the glass.

The other soldiers paused for a moment but advanced again, quicker this time. Four of them held their weapons out and he took a step back. He held the Mirror up again, but the second he aimed it at one, the others made to jab at him. They began to circle around him, and Larry's brain couldn't put together a cohesive thought. He had no idea what to do with no weapon but the Mirror and not enough time to take all four of them at once. Another arrow shot through the air and nearly went right into his stomach if he hadn't moved out of the way. The sudden move made him lose his balance and before he even realized it, Larry hit the trembling pavement hard, nearly dropping the Mirror. The tip of a spear glinted in the moonlight as a soldier raised it over his head, prepared to strike.

Larry felt a rush of air over him as a long, skeletal tail swept the soldiers into piles of black dust. He rolled out of the way of the spear as it hit the ground. Before he could even get off his knees, he looked up to see Rexy lowering his head and letting out a thunderous roar, blowing a few handfuls of sand soldiers out of existence. The army retaliated, throwing their spears and firing arrows as fast as they could, but they either went between the dinosaur's ribs or simply hit bone and fell to the ground.

_Rexy?! _Larry marveled. _But how the heck did-_

"Dad!"

He finally noticed the young man on the tyrannosaurus's back. "Get on, quick!" Nick yelled over the noise.

Larry's mind was racing, but he didn't want to stick around and wait till he got attacked again. Rexy seemed to wait, obediently, keeping low to the ground. He got onto his boney, cold spine behind Nick. Rexy got back up, making Larry's stomach flip.

"Nick, what are you doing here?!" he shouted over the noise of the sand army.

"Kahmunrah walked into the museum with the Tablet and said you needed help!"

"Nick, this is dangerous! You shouldn't be here by yourself!"

"Who said I was?!" His son pointed behind him and Larry turned around. A wall of museum exhibits was running up to the battle. The cavemen immediately started to throw things and jump onto the sand people and the Civil War mannequins charged at them with their bayonets at the ready. Somewhere in the cacophony of fighting, he could pick out the sound of Attila shouting to his men. Scanning the ranks, he saw Teddy and Lance among the fighters. Larry was in awe.

"...You led them here?" he asked, still taking in the scene.

"They all wanted to come help you and Ahk!"

Larry was thrown to the side slightly as Rexy took another swing at Zalaam's army with his tail. He suddenly felt like a bull rider. Though he was still in shock, especially with Nick, he forced himself out of it. "Okay, here's the thing: We gotta get to the-"

"Top of the building," Nick finished, bobbing a bit with Rexy's stomping.

"...Yeah." Larry blinked. "And then somehow I gotta get close enough to Zalaam to-"

"Don't use the Mirror!" Nick shouted. "We got a better idea, one that's not gonna risk Ahkmenrah's soul. Here, help me find Kahmunrah!"

"What, why?"

"I don't know, he said to make sure he got to Ahk!"

"So he's _helping _his brother now?!"

"I don't know. I was gonna ask you about that! Do you see him?"

"I can't tell. Everyone keeps moving around!"

"A'right, um, you look left. I'll look right!"

Larry was surprised about the tone in Nick's voice. How confident, how in control he sounded. He did his best to pick out the Egyptian among the sea of sand warriors and museum exhibits. McPhee's car had suddenly appeared and was quickly tearing through Zalaam's ranks with ease. _C'mon, where is he? God, it's like a high stakes game of _ "Where's Waldo?".

* * *

His father's khopesh tore through the black sand warriors easily as Kahmunrah did his best to keep heading towards the enormous building. _It's no pyramid, _he thought as he won another battle, _but I suppose I should give it some credit. It's definitely where Zalaam is, though. At least he'd better be, or else-_

A loud noise was drowned out by the fighting as his hat hit the ground. A stray arrow had knocked it off of his head. Just as he went to grab it, something collided with his back and almost knocked him forward. Kahmunrah spun around on his heels and brought the khopesh up, prepared to strike.

"Hold it, hold it! It's only me!" Lancelot lowered his sword and gave him a slight grin. "Bit jumpy in battle, aren't you? You've got good form, but it's not the best strategy to stab an ally."

"Watch where you're going! I could've killed you!"

"I know, you scared me!" The knight told him. "For a second, I thought you were - _behind you!"_

Kahmunrah turned only to catch a glimpse of a spear head going for his chest. A large sword tore through the sand warrior's arm and the spear clattered to the ground. Lancelot quickly advanced and brought his sword through the sand man until it was nothing but a pile at his feet. Kahmunrah hadn't moved, he was frozen in place.

"You know," the other man said, his blue eyes back on him. "You and your brother certainly get into a lot of trouble, at least from where I'm standing." Lancelot picked up the hat as his feet and held it out with a smile.

Kahmunrah grabbed it and replaced it where it belonged. "I would have seen him coming if you hadn't been distracting me."

"I'm going to take that as a 'thank you'." Lancelot slashed through another soldier and Kahmunrah dodged an arrow.

"It was bad form, It was going to attack me from behind!" he defended. "Otherwise I would have handled it. I'm quite capable of winning my own battles."

"Is that what made you come to help us?" The knight had a sneaky smile on his face.

Kahmunrah rolled his eyes and was about to keep going through the countless sand warriors, figuring it would be much more tolerable than the current company, when the ground began to shake under his sandals. Over the raging battle, he heard the sound of stomping and it gave him a chill. He turned around quickly and saw Rexy looking down at him.

"Stay behind us!" Nick shouted to them. "We'll get to the doors quicker! I'd say get on, but there's not a lot of space!"

_I would sooner stand in the sunlight than ride this thing, _Kahmunrah thought.

The dinosaur, which he saw now carried both the young man and Larry Daley, quickly began to run towards the Empire State Building's entrance. Its giant feet destroyed a few soldiers with each step and Kahmunrah made sure to stay behind its enormous tail as he ran after it. He quickly sliced through any sand man that got in his way. Lancelot was only a step or two behind him, making quick work of Zalaam's army.

"You know, it's almost kind of funny," the knight began. "Just the other day, _you _were being chased by a dinosaur, and now look at you!"

"I don't see the humor in this situation."

A gloved hand grabbed Kahmunrah's shoulder and he couldn't help but jump a little again "I see the Tablet made its way to New York after all," Teddy began with a smile. "Good thinking bringing the rest of the museum!"

"Well I obviously couldn't rely on the three of _you _to stop Zalaam," he replied.

"Is that why you tagged along then?"

"Is this really the time for this?!"

"I'm just saying, denial isn't just a river in Egypt."

"Of course it is! We were there!"

"Heads down!" Lancelot shouted. Kahmunrah looked up just in time to duck under the dinosaur's tail as it took a swing at the soldiers guarding the door. In one swoop, they were reduced to nothing but dust on the ground.

"Quickly, before they come back!" the wax president shouted.

They ran past the tyrannosaurus and got through the threshold, forcing their way passed each other. Once inside the messy, silent room, Kahmunrah started to look for some way to get to the top floor. Larry, having gotten off the dinosaur, ran passed them with his son at his heels. "The elevator's over here, come on!"

Having no idea what that was, he followed the rest of them and soon found himself inside the small box. Kahmunrah shook slightly when it started to move and, after making sure no one saw, placed a hand on the railing on the wall. He could hear a quiet song over the sound of everyone catching their breath:

_"__I want to break free from your lies_

_You're so self-satisfied I don't need you_

_I've got to break free_

_God knows, God knows I want to break free"_

He looked up and saw the red numbers kept climbing: four, fix, six, seven. _What are we going to do when we get to the top? _Kahmunrah wondered. _I didn't have time to figure this out._

"What floor do we need?" Teddy asked, breaking the silence.

"One-hundred-and-two," Larry explained.

Kahmunrah grumbled. The quiet returned for a moment and he tapped his hand on the wall, anxiously. _We have to find a way to get Zalaam out of his body. But with his magic, I don't know what to do! Ask him nicely? "Oh, please, release Ahkmenrah, Zalaam. We promise not to trap you in this magic mirror after." _He looked over and saw the Mirror of Wadjet still in Larry's hand. _We can't use it until there's no chance that it will take Ahkmenrah._

"Okay," Larry began, turning towards him. "So, fill me in, what are you doing here? I left you back at my place and then all of a sudden-"

"Your little monkey stole your backpack when we got here and ran off." Kahmunrah pretended to get something out from under his fingernails. "I found him and the Tablet and got the rest of your little group together."

"That's how I got involved," Nick added.

"You were at the museum?" Teddy asked.

"Yeah, I was um, just helpin' out. Then everyone woke up and...here I am."

"So, you just ignored the message I left you?" Larry questioned.

"What message? Oh! That was you? I didn't even look. I was mopping."

"You know," Kahmunrah started with a sigh. "As much as I'm loving the game of catch up here, shouldn't we figure out how to stop Zalaam?"

"I thought you had a plan," Larry told him.

"Yeah, that's what you told me," his son added.

"Um, _no. _I told you to get me to Ahkmenrah."

"That implies that you know what to do when you get there, though," Teddy said.

"I don't _care _what it implies. The only thought I had was to get your little museum and find a way to separate Zalaam and Ahkmenrah so we can use the Mirror without fear."

"Well that's not even much of a plan," Lancelot chimed. "That's more of just...a general idea."

"I never said I had a-" He closed his mouth tightly and looked at the numbers again. They had just passed floor twenty-five. _Anubis, give me strength. _Kahmunrah sighed and tried again. "Okay. I don't have a detailed plan on what we are going to do now that we have gotten to this point. I'm _asking _what you four think would be a good course of action to somehow get Zalaam to release Ahkmenrah."

"Well, we can't just attack him," Teddy said. "He's too strong. He could easily make another thousand sand warriors and we're back where we started."

"If only we had something to tempt him with. Something he'd be willing to exchange for Ahkmenrah's safety," Lancelot stated.

"Do either of you have the Tablet?" Larry looked at Kahmunrah and Nick.

"No, I think McPhee left it back at the Museum," his son explained.

"...What if we offered to take his place?" Teddy asked. "One of us in exchange for Ahkmenrah."

"That won't work," Kahmunrah told him, matter-of-factly. "He has what he wants. Besides, that's clearly a trap. He would never leave Ahkmenrah's body just to take someone else."

"Then what do we do?" Nick inquired, bringing his hands up. "We can't attack him, we can't reason with him...what's left to do? _Beg?"_

The sound of the elevator beeping with each floor filled the air.

"I don't see any way around it," Larry mumbled. "We have to use the Mirror."

Kahmunrah's head snapped up.

"Dad, you can't!" Nick shouted. "What if it traps Ahk?"

"I did not bring you an army just for you to trap Ahkmenrah inside that thing," Kahmunrah growled.

"Well, what am I supposed to do?" Larry asked. "We don't have any alternative! I can't just let him take over the world and keep Ahk prisoner forever. We don't have anything he wants! Without the Mirror, he wins. At least if we use this, there's a chance he'll get stuck in it and Ahk'll be free."

"But then we are back to how you even get close enough to use it," Lancelot reminded him.

_There has to be something, _Kahmunrah thought, ignoring the current conversation. _We cannot use that Mirror until they are separated, I won't allow it. What could we possibly use to get him to release Ahkmenrah? He has everything he was after. The only part of his revenge plan that didn't work was killing me! Which, given that we seem to be riding up to our doom, is something he will soon accomplish! I may as well walk up to him and... _"You're wrong," Kahmunrah began, interrupting the group. They had just passed floor fifty-six.

"What?" Larry asked.

"There's one last thing Zalaam is after."

"What is it?" Nick looked at him with a hopeful expression.

"You're looking at it," Kahmunrah told him.

"...I'm not following you," Lancelot admitted.

_That's no surprise, _he thought. "In order to get revenge on our parents, Zalaam wanted to possess one of us and kill the other. He's got Ahkmenrah, and now he'll be after me. If we can keep his focus on me, that might give the rest of you a chance to ambush him. Once you have him, we may be able to get him to release Ahkmenrah."

"Wait, wait," Nick started. "So, you're just gonna get him to fight you?"

"Of course not, he'd kill me in a second," Kahmunrah told him. "But just the fact that I'm here when I know he wants to destroy me will catch him off guard. If I can just keep his attention long enough, you can make a move."

Larry was looking at him like he'd just spoken another language.

"...It could work," Teddy said. "We could sneak up on him. If we restrain Ahkmenrah's body, he might leave it and try to get to another."

"Then once his soul is out of Ahkmenrah we can trap him in the Mirror!" Nick cheered. Floor seventy-three.

"...You're sure about this?" Larry asked him. He was still looking at him oddly.

"Did we not just eliminate every other option?" Kahmunrah snapped.

He studied him for a moment before shifting a little "Alright," Larry said. "Let's do it. If you keep his eyes on you, we can get him from behind. Lance, when we get off, you go to the left with me. Teddy, you take Nick and go the other way. Once we have a shot, I'll give you a sign and we rush him. We have to keep him down until he gets out of Ahk. When he does, we have to get him in this Mirror _quickly,_ or he'll just get one of us instead and we're back at square one. Everyone clear?"

There was a mumble of agreement and Kahmunrah leaned his back against the cool wall. He eyed the numbers and saw they were on floor eighty-six. _I don't have a lot of time. I need to figure out how I'm going to do this. From the way he attacked me in the tomb in Egypt, he'll draw this out. He could have easily broken my neck when he had the chance. If I can just keep him talking somehow, that could do it. I just have to keep his focus...and not get killed. This had better work. Ra, please, let this work._

The sound of the elevator was like a clock, every floor getting them closer to the big moment. At floor ninety-four, he felt Lancelot's hand touch his shoulder.

"There is a word to describe what you're doing, you know," the knight said quietly.

"'Foolishness'?"

"No. '_Honorable'."_

Kahmunrah looked at him for a moment before clearing his throat and staring at the wall. The elevator beeped a final time and stopped moving. The large doors opened with a shaky sound. Larry motioned to Lancelot and the knight nodded and followed with his sword drawn.

"Good luck," Teddy said to him as he went the other way.

"Umm...don't die," Nick told him before quickly following Teddy.

_You're a few thousand years too late to be giving me that advice, _Kahmunrah thought with a roll of his eyes. He took a deep breath and walked out of the elevator.

**A/N: **Another long chapter because 1. The story is wrapping up 2. I didn't know where to cut this and 3. _quarantine. _How are we all doing? What are your thoughts on the story?

ALSO here is a charity that's helping during this crisis: Feeding America

They're trying to make sure people who rely on food banks and food pantries (which are really being hit hard due to the virus) can still get enough food for their families. Please donate on their website if you can! And STAY HOME and take care of yourself.

(also also I may or may not be working on an original short story...)


	24. Chapter 24

The room was smaller than he'd expected. The walls around him were only thick glass, nothing more. Around the room were scattered jackets and purses, random items that had been abandoned in the evacuation. He couldn't seem to spot either of the two groups anymore, which was a great sign to him. He walked around for a moment and tried to go over what he was going to do in his head.

Zalaam's back was turned when he found him. He was standing near the glass wall, peering out at the city. New York was lit up like a star, as if the chaos below did not exist. "Kahmunrah," his chilling voice began. "I must say, I am surprised to see you." He turned to face him and Kahmunrah saw a large smirk on his face. "I assumed I was going to have to hunt you down. Thank you for making it easier."

_Here goes nothing. _He cleared his throat and forced himself to look into Zalaam's eyes. "You weren't hard to find."

"Is that so?" Zalaam took a few steps closer and Kahmunrah gripped the khopesh in his hand a bit tighter. "And just what made you seek me out? Come to beg for your brother like your worthless father did?"

"Quite the opposite," he explained. "I've come to offer my assistance."

The man arched Ahkmenrah's eyebrow, intrigued. "That is...unexpected, I must admit."

"You and I are not so different. We are both after the same thing," Kahmunrah explained. "You were wronged by my father, as was I when he gave the throne that was rightfully mine to Ahkmenrah. Since then, I have wanted to prove him wrong by not just ruling Egypt but the world itself."

"I am more than powerful enough to conquer the world," Zalaam interjected. "Why in Ra's name would I need your assistance?"

"A very good point." _Where in the world did they go? How long do they expect me to do this? _"But you should know that Ahkmenrah was a very popular person. His friends will not allow you to keep him prisoner without a fight first."

The man laughed for a moment. "They are no threat to me."

"You would think so," Kahmunrah told him. "But they are smarter than they appear. When I attempted to conquer the world myself, I ended up in the Underworld because of Ahkmenrah's army. The army that is currently fighting your soldiers below us as we speak. I have been with them for days, I can help you fight them off. Together, we would be _unstoppable. _All I ask is to rule the world alongside you."

Behind Zalaam, he could see the two groups meet up once again. Larry started to make gestures and mouth words to Nick and Teddy. The moment was nearly at hand.

Zalaam narrowed his dark eyes and looked him over for a moment. A sickening grin came to his lips as he looked at Kahmunrah again. "You make a fair point. I do have one question, though." He came even closer and leaned in to hiss in Kahmunrah's ear like a serpent. "Are you aware the glass walls allow me to see behind me?"

Black sand wrapped around Kahmunrah's throat in an instant and his feet left the floor. Zalaam threw him into a wall and he sunk to the floor in a heap, just happy he could _breathe _again. _That was a bad idea, _he thought. _That was a _very_ bad idea._

He looked up, still trying to regain his bearings from being tossed around the room, to see Larry, Lancelot, Teddy and Nick all running up to Zalaam. With a flick of his wrist, Zalaam sent a wave of sand hurtling towards them. Like bowling pins, they were knocked over and pushed around the room. He watched as the Mirror flew out of Larry's hand and across the room, out of anyone's reach.

Kahmunrah looked around for the khopesh he'd dropped somewhere, wracking his brain to think of a plan, some way to stop Zalaam. _There has to be a way, there must be some-_

"Going to kill me, Sir Lancelot?" Zalaam asked. Kahmunrah looked to see the knight on his feet, his sword drawn and a furious look on his usually calm face. "Come, then. Let's see if you can bring yourself to murder your best friend."

Lancelot gritted his teeth...but made no move. The sword trembled in his hand a bit before he growled and sheathed it once again. Even from his distance, Kahmunrah could hear him mumble, "I can't. I can't hurt him."

_"Fool!" _Zalaam laughed. "You will not even _try _to fight! You care for your precious Ahkmenrah so much, it has weakened you! All of you! Oh, it is too _easy."_

Kahmunrah looked over to the Mirror for a moment and considered running towards it, but like the knight, stayed where he was. Not even he could chance condemning Ahkmenrah to that fate. It wasn't worth it.

"Ahk!" Nick yelled. "You gotta stop this! Please!"

Zalaam's laughter filled the air again. "Go on and _beg, _boy! Plead for your life!"

"Leave him alone!" Larry shouted.

Kahmunrah looked at Zalaam, at Ahkmenrah's body. Suddenly, as if possessed himself, he began to speak. "...You won't win."

Zalaam's eyes looked to him, intrigued. "What was that, oh, prince of Egypt?"

"You won't win." He spoke a bit louder this time. "No matter what happens here."

"Really?" Zalaam started to take a few taunting steps towards him, like an executioner taking his time sharpening his axe. "And what makes you say that?"

"Because," he staggered to his feet, "you don't have any idea who you're dealing with."

That got another laugh. A dark, twisted sound. "And just what do you plan to do? You're no match for my power!"

"Oh, I know. That's not who I'm talking about." The words were pouring out of him like water flowing from an old, rotten dam. "No, it's Ahkmenrah you should worry about."

For a moment, Zalaam broke his stride. _"Ahkmenrah?" _He said, as if Kahmunrah had magically grown another head. "I think I've got him pretty well subdued."

"For now," Kahmunrah countered. "But whatever you've trapped him in, whatever situation you've conjured, I can promise you this, he will escape it."

"Oh, I _highly _doubt that."

"Like I said, because you don't know him."

The man arched Ahkmenrah's eyebrow.

Kahmunrah continued even though Zalaam was still coming towards him. "Believe me, once he sets his mind to something, there's no talking him out of it. I've tried. Several times. He's stubborn. And naive. Always thinks everything will work out for the best. It's really annoying, honestly."

"Is there a point to this, or are you stalling?"

"My point is that you can kill us all right now, make your little sand men conquer whatever you wish, whatever, but it won't matter because he'll stop you."

"You're so certain."

"He's my brother. I've known him for a little longer than you have. And I know that whether it be tonight, tomorrow or whenever, he'll find a way to defeat you. You won't even know what hit you. He's determined. Disgustingly so. What he lacks in strength, he makes up for in brains. But hands down his _worst _quality is that he loves everyone, and I do mean everyone. Especially those in this room and down below, fighting your army. That's how I know you won't win, because every move you make will only make him stronger. You've threatened his home and his family. Nothing you do will matter! Go ahead, kill me!" He stretched his arms out to his sides. "But you'll only seal your fate."

Zalaam studied him for a minute, as if thinking about this. His lips curled into a smirk. "If you think his love is stronger than my magic, then you must be truly desperate." He brought his arms up and black sand was suddenly swirling in his palms. "You are just as pathetic and weak as your father was. I suppose those were decent last words, though, even with that ridiculous lisp."

Zalaam raised his hand up, preparing to strike. Kahmunrah braced himself for whatever was about to happen. He could hear Lancelot and Teddy shouting something, perhaps trying to regain Zalaam's attention, but he could not really focus on them. He stared Zalaam in the eyes, defiantly. The man narrowed them and scowled. Though he didn't break eye contact, he noted that the power in the man's hand must have been great, because it was starting to shake. Surprisingly, it was Zalaam who looked away. He followed the sand sorcerer's gaze and found him looking at the sand he'd been preparing to use. It was fading, flickering like a dying flame. Zalaam growled and repeated his movement. This time, his palm came up empty. Zalaam's dark orbs widened in annoyance. Kahmunrah watched in confusion.

Again, the man reached his arm back before thrusting it forward with gritted teeth. To Kahmunrah, it looked like Zalaam was throwing an invisible ball at him. Clearly frustrated, the sorcerer looked to his hands, which still trembled.

"...What did you do?" Kahmunrah could barely hear him. Suddenly, his head snapped up, as he shouted, "What did you _do?!"_

The two men locked eyes again, but this time was different. This time, Kahmunrah had found what he'd been looking for. Hidden behind Zalaam's black, deathly pupils was something that hadn't been there before. There was warmth underneath the cold, a small light in the seemingly endless darkness. He recognized it instantly. The glimmer brought a smirk to Kahmunrah's face. His arrogance returned to him, and he answered the man the same way he would answer his mother when he'd been caught getting into trouble. "Me? Nothing at all. It's Ahkmenrah."

Before his eyes, Zalaam's knees buckled and his legs began to quake. Kahmunrah could hear him breathing harder, like he was desperately trying to hold onto something. "Well, would you look at that?" Kahmunrah began. "It appears I was stalling after all."

* * *

Everything he heard was like a fresh cut piercing his skin. This was the worst kind of torture Ahkmenrah could have possibly imagined. Zalaam was hurting people. With _his _body. And he couldn't do a thing about it. If the redness around his shackles didn't show that he'd tried, he wasn't sure what would.

Hearing Kahmunrah was the worst by far. At first, he had to listen to him try to strike a deal with the psychotic sand sorcerer, and part of him had to wonder if he'd been planning this the whole time. But when he recalled the lava-filled temple, and their talk on the Nile's bank, he knew it had to be something else. Ahkmenrah was quick to discover that his older brother had merely been creating a distraction for Zalaam. His friends, his _family _had come to rescue him.

That was the worst thing they could have done.

_You shouldn't be here, _he thought, as if they could hear him. He hugged his knees so tightly, they started to ache. _You should have run. You should be hiding. You can't stop him; he's too powerful. I don't want him to hurt you. I can't bear to hear him hurt you!_

When Nick began to beg for him, the tears began again. Ahk was surprised he had any left. "I'm sorry." His voice was barely a whisper. "I tried. You have to know that I tried. I can't break the chains...I can't help you. You need to use the Mirror. Please, I don't care if it takes me, as long as it stops Zalaam. With me out of the way, you could kill him easily_._"_ Anubis, please don't let them die. I can't have them die at my hands. Someone do something, please, Gods, do something to stop this, _anyth-

_"You won't win."_

Ahkmenrah's breath caught in his throat and he looked up, quickly. He had heard him so clearly as if he were standing in front of him. He had heard his brother. But no one was there but the darkness. Yet Kahmunrah's voice continued.

_What is he doing?_ Ahkmenrah wondered._ What I wouldn't give to see what was happening! Does he have some kind of plan? Yes, he must, I can hear it in his voice. He knows they're going to win. Brother, whatever you're doing, please don't get hurt!_

_"And just what do plan to do? You're no match for my power!" _He heard Zalaam taunt.

_"Oh, I know. That's not who I'm talking about," _Kahmunrah told him._ "No, it's Ahkmenrah you should worry about." _

"What?!" Ahkmenrah shouted, his voice raspy from sobbing. His hands grabbed his head in panic. "Kahmunrah, no, no, you don't understand! I can't-"

_"-whatever situation you've conjured, I can promise you this, he will escape it." _His brother told him.

"I can't break these chains!"

But Kahmunrah continued, not hearing the young pharaoh's shouts. Without knowing, Ahkmenrah was on his feet, the chains on his wrists rattling a bit. _He's going to kill him, _he thought gravely. _Zalaam is going to kill them all after they came to help me, and I can't...no. No, no, no, this can't happen. I can't lose my family, not again! _

While Kahmunrah kept the sand sorcerer's attention, Ahkmenrah began to yank the chain once again. Though his wrists were red and aching, he pulled as hard as he possibly could. _I've got to stop him, I've got to get him out of my body before he hurts someone! _His teeth were gritting so much, it felt like they would shatter under the pressure.

_"You're so certain,"_ said Zalaam's chilling voice.

_"He's my brother," _Kahmunrah replied. Ahkmenrah found a burst of strength flowing through him. The ebony chain was trembling. _"And I know that whether it be tonight, tomorrow or whenever, he'll find a way to defeat you. You won't even know what hit you."_

_Tread carefully, brother, this man is a monster, _Ahkmenrah thought. _I've got to break this, before Zalaam hurts him. I'm sure his patience is waning. Whatever you do, Kahmunrah, just don't egg him on._

_"Go ahead, kill me!" _

_Oh, Gods, give me strength._

Zalaam's cold voice filled the room._ "If you think his love is stronger than my magic, then you must be truly desperate."_

The small, dark room was suddenly filled with a zoo of shouting. Lancelot and Teddy yelled to try to get the evil man's attention, but they were drowned out by Ahkmenrah's own inhuman shouting.

His crown hit the floor as he fell onto his back, suddenly. Everything was silent. The chain was snapped in two. Breathing heavily, Ahkmenrah looked at his wrists and watched as the shackles dissolved into grains of black sand. His vision started to blur and for a moment he feared he was about to faint.

_"...What did you do?" _Zalaam asked. _"What did you _do?!" He wasn't sure if he was talking to him or Kahmunrah. When he heard his brother's response, Ahkmenrah could almost picture the smug look he must have been wearing. Suddenly, he felt himself leaving without moving a muscle. The darkness vanished as he heard Kahmunrah once more, and suddenly, he was on his feet, somewhere new.

A man stood before him, one he had never seen but now knew very well. He was significantly taller than Ahkmenrah was, but rather thin and lanky. His black hair matched the skirt and top he was dressed in. A sneer formed on the man's pale face.

"You should not have done that," Zalaam told him. "Did you not learn from your father's mistake? It's much easier to go along with my plans than to fight me. You only make this harder on yourself."

"This is my mind," Ahkmenrah countered. "You no longer have the power here."

"Very true, young pharaoh," Zalaam quipped. "But that does not mean I am defenseless." Ahkmenrah watched as the man unlooped a large, black khopesh from his side. "I suggest you surrender now, before you force me to make a mess."

"Is talking the only thing you know how to do, or are we going to fight?"

The man's cold eyes grew. "Bold words. Come then, I will let you strike first."

Ahkmenrah shook his head and waved the man forward. The surprise on his opponent's face gave him more confidence. Zalaam was thrown off.

The man tightened his jaw and advanced. Ahkmenrah watched intently as Zalaam rushed up to him and drew his khopesh back. He dodged the man's attack and swung his fist at him. Zalaam moved and started to attack once again, forcing Ahkmenrah to take a step back to avoid the blade. For a while, Ahkmenrah was on autopilot, dodging every attack and landing a few of his own. They fought in a blur, striking each other in silence for who knows how long until the sand sorcerer finally spoke again, not wavering in his attacks.

"Why are you making this so difficult on yourself? What's the point in fighting?"

"If you heard what my brother told you," Ahkmenrah began, "you know my reasons already."

"You are as foolish as your father!"

"Yes, I'm so sorry my father decided to be a decent person and declined to help you rule the world with an iron fist." The young pharaoh narrowly dodged the blade again.

"Why in the name of Set would you challenge me for these people when you know it would be much easier to surrender?!"

Even in the heat of battle, a smirk appeared on Ahkmenrah's lips. "You wouldn't understand it if I told you."

"Then you shall be the first of them to suffer!" the man yelled. "First you, then your prehistoric army. Starting with your-" A wicked grin came to the man. "- _th_upid, _th_talling broth-"

The sorcerer's smile vanished as Ahkmenrah's fist connected with his face. It knocked the man back, slightly, and Ahkmenrah saw his dark eyes widen a bit. Zalaam's smirk wasn't the only one to disappear.

The man did not waste time, however, and quickly aimed for Ahkmenrah's neck. But the young pharaoh raised his hand up and grabbed Zalaam's arm. The khopesh was inches from his throat. He kicked the sorcerer square in the chest and knocked him back. In a flash, he seized the khopesh from Zalaam and spun it in his hand until it faced his opponent. Without hesitation, he thrusted the blade into Zalaam's stomach.

Ahkmenrah watched the panic form in the man's dark irises. "This - this isn't over," Zalaam croaked. "My soul can take any of them, any one of your little friends. How do you think they will fare against me?"

The only response Ahkmenrah gave him was to bury the rest of the khopesh in his opponent.

Zalaam became white as a sheet and his body went limp. Before Ahkmenrah's eyes, the man disintegrated into black sand, just as his shackles had. Ahkmenrah felt a rush in his head and it was suddenly hard to keep his balance. His final thought was hoping that his family would be safe now.

**A/N: **Posting this chapter is so bittersweet because I LOVE IT but that means the story is gonna end soon. :( Anyhow, I hope you are all staying safe, trying to stay calm and staying home. I hope you all stay well.


	25. Chapter 25

After running to collect the Mirror, Larry finally made it across the room, Teddy and Lance in tow. Ahkmenrah was twitching and convulsing like something out of _The Exorcist. _None of them knew what to do, if there was anything they _could _do. They stood in silence as he gripped the Mirror tighter in his hand. "C'mon, Ahk," Larry mumbled. "You gotta get out of this."

"What's he saying?" Nick asked.

"I - I don't know," Larry told him honestly. Every once in a while, Ahkmenrah would mumble something, but he couldn't make sense of it. The spectacle was quite unnerving, really.

Time seemed to stand still. They waited anxiously, to see who would come out on top. Waited to see if Zalaam's eyes would return to kill them. Waited for their friend.

Larry jumped a bit as a burst of black sand formed before them. It became a strange, flying, black blob and began to soar around like a fish out of water.

"Zalaam!" Teddy shouted. "The Mirror, quick, quick!"

"Ahkmenrah!" Lancelot ran up to grab his friend before he fell to the floor. Larry watched the man's soul dart around the room like a pinball before it darted back towards them. Without hesitation, he ran into Zalaam's path and raised the Mirror of Wadjet. He saw the snake's ruby eyes begin to glow on the handle and he watched as the blob vanished before him. Larry skidded to a stop, the heels of his shoes squeaking. Catching his breath, he looked at the mirror. The snake on the handle looked normal once again. He scanned the room, paranoid, before he was sure. Zalaam was inside the Mirror.

_It's over._

"Lawrence!" Teddy shouted.

He looked back and saw the group kneeling on the floor. Ahkmenrah was in the middle of them on his back. _Oh God. _His chest tight, Larry ran over to them and got on the floor next to Nick.

"He's not waking up!" his son told him.

"Ahkmenrah!" Lancelot shouted. "What's wrong with him?"

"Are you sure he's in there?!" Nick asked.

"Everyone, back up a bit," Teddy told them. "The boy's just had a massive amount of dark magic invade his body, not to mention fought off someone else's soul." His gloved hand was on Ahkmenrah's pulse. "...I think he's sleeping."

"...Sleeping," Kahmunrah repeated.

"Yes, you know, that thing you do when you get-"

"I _know _what the word means," the Egyptian snarled. "But why can't we wake him up?"

"Like I said, I think his body is recovering."

"What, like a coma?" Larry asked, finally finding his voice.

"In a way. But if I have this right, the Tablet should heal him once the sun comes up. I think we'll have our friend back by tomorrow."

Larry felt himself breathe easily for the first time since they'd arrived in New York.

"The museum!" Nick shouted. He got to his feet and went to the windows. "...It's gone," he said after a second. "Zalaam's army is just..._gone. _Like it never happened at all! But the moon's really low."

"We gotta get everyone back," Larry agreed, eyeing his own watch. Lancelot got to his feet and picked up Ahkmenrah. "I think McPhee's car was somewhere down there," Larry continued. "We can fit Ahk in there, so you have space and I guess...I'll get my car some other time."

They got back into the elevator, the Mirror still in his hand. Larry looked at it once again. "He did it," he marveled. "Ahk beat Zalaam."

"He saved everyone," Nick agreed.

"And the world," Lancelot added.

The elevator beeped as they started to head back down. Larry looked over to Kahmunrah, who seemed to be pretending he was anywhere else. Shifting uncomfortably, he cleared his throat. "Um...good thinking."

Kahmunrah's eyes flicked over to him. "Hmm? Did you say something?"

_Did he really not hear me or does he just wanna hear it again? _"I said that was a good plan, making Zalaam think you were on his side." The Egyptian looked at him like he was speaking a foreign language.

"Yes," Lancelot began. "Without you, Ahkmenrah wouldn't have been able to stop Zalaam. You inspired him!"

The Egyptian's eyes narrowed. "Tell anyone and I swear to Ra-"

"Oh, come now, don't get all grumpy again." Lancelot laughed.

"I mean it! What happened here _stays _here."

Before they were even out the front door, they could hear the uproar. The exhibits were celebrating the victory. All around the ground were scattered arrows and a few weapons. They were shouting, cheering, yelling like it was New Years in Time Square. Larry spotted a familiar car not far away and looked at Nick. "Go find Rexy and lead them back, okay? Try to stick to backstreets. We'll take Ahk back." His son nodded and went to find the dinosaur.

Teddy looked at Larry through his glasses. "I've got to find Sacagawea and make sure everyone came out okay. I'll see you back at the museum." Larry nodded and watched the man walk through the crowd.

McPhee looked up with wide eyes as they approached him. "I certainly hope this means we won!" he shouted out his window.

"We've got the guy responsible right here." Larry held the Mirror up to show him. "Everyone okay out here?"

"As far as I know. I've been in the car."

"We ran down like, a _hundred _of Zalaam's guys, Gigantor!" Jed shouted excitedly from the curator's pocket. "It was awesome!"

"It was really quite an adventure", Octavius agreed.

"That's great, guys, but we gotta-"

"Good heavens!" McPhee shouted. "What happened to Pharaoh Ahkmenrah?"

"He's sleeping."

"...I'm sorry, sleeping?"

"Yeah, apparently having some guy take over your body really takes it outta ya. Look, I've got Nick taking everyone back, but we need a ride. Those soldiers shot out one of my tires."

"Well then get in! Put him in the backseat so he can lay down."

They climbed into the car with Larry in the passenger seat. Ahkmenrah was laying flat on top of his brother and Lancelot in the backseat. McPhee started the car and they followed behind the museum exhibits. Even from their distance, Larry could see Nick at the front on Rexy. _He really took charge, _he thought. _He got them all together and led them here. I didn't stand a chance against those soldiers. If he hadn't shown up, we would have never gotten Ahk back. Lance and Teddy might not have gotten past those sand people! I would have…_

_Just the other day, I thought he was losing control. He was buying motorcycles to impress his girlfriend and storming out of my apartment. _He watched him for a moment as Nick marched the exhibits back to their museum. _Teddy had a point. Nick's still growing up. He's gonna make mistakes. Tonight wasn't one of them, though. He's confident. He took charge. He did it all by himself. _Larry decided he needed to talk to his son before the sun came up. His eyes looked up to the rearview mirror. Kahmunrah was looking out of the window.

_And then there's you, _he wondered. _You just..._show up _all of a sudden. You're fighting with us and trying to get Ahk back. Since when do you, the guy who made it very clear the first time we met that you _hated _Ahkmenrah, care about his well being?_

_But the temple...You saved his life. Teddy said he even saw you holding onto him! So, do you care about Ahk or...I mean I guess you _do, _if you...This doesn't make any sense. But the fact is I guess you helped save us. The world, even. And you seem...I don't know, _different. _I can't figure this out. Is there even anything to figure out? Man, family is really complicated. I guess they're all like that, though, in some way._

_Why is Teddy always so right?_

Larry started to make a list of all the things he had to do before the sun came up: _The King and Queen are still at my place, so I guess I gotta ask McPhee for his car. We can keep them, Lance, and Kahmunrah in the basement. Tomorrow, we can get their parents and Lancelot back to London before Tilly gets in trouble. Kahmunrah goes back to Washington...Wait, that'll be kinda weird. I mean, he was missing in the Underworld for a long time. It'll be strange if he just shows up again. Then again, he was in the archives, so maybe they won't notice. Plus, it's Brunden, so, not the brightest bulb. _

_Ahkmenrah won't wake up till tomorrow probably, so that means he won't be able to say bye to his family. _The idea made his stomach tighten a bit. _He's been through so much, something good needs to happen for him. I know McPhee got his room remodeled, but…_

He looked at the back seat again and the wheels in his head started to turn. As they pulled into the empty museum parking lot - save for a motorcycle - Larry looked at McPhee and tried to think of how he was going to word this.

The second the car stopped, Larry turned to look at the backseat. "Take Ahk inside and put him in his sarcophagus. We'll put the lid on when the sun goes down. There's still a little time. I'm gonna go get your parents," he told Kahmunrah.

The two got out quickly and Lancelot carried Ahkmenrah on his shoulder. "Watch the gas," McPhee told him, unbuckling his own seatbelt. "I should have enough, but just be cautious."

"Okay, hey, wait a sec," Larry started. The curator paused and looked at him. "I just...I wanna ask you something."

"Please tell me you want your job back; I'm desperate."

"What? No, sorry."

"Just checking."

"No, I wanted to know, uh...do you think the museum could use some new exhibits?"

The man's eyes widened. "New exhibits? Did you forget how crazy this place gets?"

"Yeah, but...I don't know, I thought it would be nice for Ahk if Lance stuck around."

"The knight?...Well, that should be doable, I guess. It's not a big change and I suppose I could pull a few strings. I agree, I think the Pharaoh would like to have him around."

_There's the first hurdle, _Larry thought. "The thing is," he started to rub the back of his neck, "Lance kinda has this pet in Britain, Trixie...she's a dinosaur."

"You're having me on. I am not asking the British Museum to transfer another dinosaur here. We have enough issues trying to keep the one we have from breaking things."

"Aw, c'mon, Doc," Jedediah cut in from the Brit's pocket. "Rexy's been real lonely. He could use a pal!"

"So they can tear down the building?! I don't think so."

"On the contrary, Doctor," Octavius began. "If Rexy had a companion, he would spend more time playing with Trixie so he would release more of his energy."

"Plus, dinosaurs are always a big hit with families," Larry added, knowing Lancelot would feel torn if he had to leave Trixie behind. "Could boost popularity at the museum."

McPhee seemed to begrudgingly ponder this. Finally, he sighed. "Fine. But no guarantees!...You have something else," the man deadpanned, apparently reading Larry's mind.

_I can't believe I'm doing this. _"Well, I mean I was thinking-"

"I really don't like it when you do that."

"...I think Ahk misses his family," Larry told him. "I know he decided to come here with his friends years ago, but in Egypt...I don't know, he was really glad to be around them again."

"That's not going to happen," McPhee said. "I cannot ask the same museum for a knight, a dinosaur, and two mummies. They'll never go for it."

"No, no, I figured that, but," _I _really _can't believe I'm doing this. _"His brother's not from Britain."

_"What?!" _Jed shouted. _"Kahmunrah? _Yer kiddin' me!"

"I thought they didn't get along," McPhee added.

"They didn't. They drove me crazy the whole time, really. But I was talking to the Queen and she said that she thought they just needed more time together and that before the whole thing with the throne, they were a little better."

"Gigantor, yer crazy! Octy, tell 'em he's losin' it."

The Roman had been silent up to this point and by his face, Larry could tell he was thinking. "He did help us get the museum together knowing it could have been dangerous for him."

"And he got Ahk out of that lava filled temple," Larry added.

"Lava?!" McPhee asked. "What exactly happened on this little adventure?"

"Look, I just think that Ahk likes having him around. Even with all the stuff that happened between them, they're brothers and I can tell Ahk misses him, as weird as that sounds."

"Even if that didn't sound insane, there is no _way _I can get something out of the _Smithsonian,_" McPhee countered.

"You wouldn't have to. He's been MIA for years, even since I put him in the Underworld. So, he's like lost inventory. And even before that, he was in the federal archives, so it's not like they were using him."

"A'right," the cowboy interjected again. "I'll give 'em this, he helped us out with Zalaam. An' he got Ahk outta that fireball of a temple. But what if he starts trouble here? Ain't no Underworld here to toss 'em into."

"Mmm, but he is outnumbered," Octavius told him. "He knows very well that Ahkmenrah has many friends here and that he's not well liked. Attila alone would be able to, shall we say, 'scare him straight'."

Larry was focused on the curator's blank face. "So," McPhee began. "You want me to get one knight, a new dinosaur, and to let this Kahmunrah stay in my museum?"

"...It would make Ahk happy," Larry said, pleading.

McPhee looked at the roof of the car for a moment and Larry waited anxiously. "... I'll do the best I can."

"Thanks, Doct-"

_"But," _he began, looking back at him again. "You've got to find me a new guard. I can't keep doing this all day. And _double _the dinosaurs plus two bickering Egyptians will send me to an early grave. There's gotta be someone you trust."

Larry was taken aback by the request. Who could handle knowing about the Tablet? Who could he trust to take care of the museum so McPhee wouldn't have to worry? Then it occurred to him: he already had someone he could trust. "Nick could do it."

"Hey, yeah!" Jed smiled. "Nicky'd be great at it!"

"Your son? Don't you think he's a bit _young _for this responsibility? What if he wants to impress some girl and decides to tell her what happens here?" McPhee asked.

"He won't do that, he hasn't even told his mom," Larry said confidently. "It all works out. He needs a job anyway. He saw me run this place; he knows what to do. Plus, just look what he did tonight!"

"Yes, he did really take charge," Octavius agreed.

"And he helped you clean the place up," Larry added. "I think he'd do really well here. And who else am I supposed to get? I don't know a lot of people looking for a job. Especially one that involves making sure Attila the Hun doesn't tear anyone's limbs off."

Again, McPhee gave an unreadable look to him. "I don't know if it's because I'm desperate, or, or...fine." He put his hands up. "He gets a shot at this. But if something goes wrong-"

"It won't." Larry smiled. He was sure about that. He'd seen the way Nick had held his head up as he led the museum.

McPhee went inside to find Nick and Larry got behind the wheel of the car. They had a few spare hours until the sun was due to rise.

* * *

As they walked into the museum, Jedediah was grinning broadly. _With Nicky as the guard, things'll be great! It'll be like when Gigantor was here. An' if we get that other dino, I won't have to worry about playin' with Rexy. McPhee can...oh. _The happy feeling contorted into something else, something he didn't quite get. Sadness? That made no sense. All this time, he'd been unhappy with how McPhee was running the museum, and now he was unhappy because he was leaving?

"Where can I drop the two of you?" the man asked.

Octavius looked at him and Jed just shrugged. "Um, if you could just bring us back to our hall," he said. The cowboy stayed silent until they were finally nearing their exhibits.

"I hope you two realize," McPhee began, "that just because I'm going to hire Larry's son doesn't mean I won't know what goes on here. Now that I know all about the Tablet, I'll want to know if there are any issues with the night shift. And for heaven's sake, someone has to train that capuchin."

"He's a wild spirit, Doc," Jed explained. "Ya can't tame 'em."

"Well someone should at least _try. _At least it won't be me he's peeing on anymore. Are you both going to the same exhibit, or your own?"

"The Wild West is fine, Doctor," the Roman responded.

"...You think you'll come back?" the cowboy asked, still unsure why. "Ya know, just ta say 'hi'?"

The man was quiet, but from Jed's perspective, it almost looked like he was smiling. "Maybe every now and again. Just to make sure these dinosaurs don't destroy everything."

He put them in the Wild West diorama and the sand crunched under the cowboy's boots. "Don' worry, Doc, we'll make sure nothin' happens."

"I certainly hope so. Now, it looks like I've got to go hire our new night guard."

"He'll surprise you, Doctor. I am sure of it," Octavius told him.

"I've never been one for surprises, but we'll see. Good night to you both, then."

"See ya around, Doc!" Jed tipped his hat. The man nodded and left the room.

**A/N:** Things are wrapping up, but some things have still been...left unsaid. :) I hope you are all doing well and staying safe. Things are so crazy, I know, but just remember, one day this will all be in the past.


	26. Chapter 26

Nick watched the front doors as the exhibits walked back inside. He held a list in his hands and was checking each of them off, making sure everyone was accounted for. The pen scratched the paper as he added a black checkmark next to "Three Neanderthals". They chanted happily in gibberish as they raced to their exhibit. Christopher Columbus nodded to him with a smile, marching back to his spot. The more check marks he made, the more his body started to relax. He led them into a battle and now he wanted to make sure everyone came back.

"Nicholas!"

A smile automatically came to his face at the familiar voice. He looked up to see Teddy walking up to him. Sacagawea was at his side with a quiver on her back full of arrows and a bow in hand. "Good to see you, lad!" The wax president clapped him on the back. "And I must say, you did a fantastic job getting the cavalry together. I don't think we would've managed without it."

"Thanks, Teddy. I'm just glad everyone's okay."

"From what I saw, I think our army is in good shape. You did well, son. Really honed your leadership skills."

Nick grinned broadly, not really sure how to respond.

"We missed you around here," Teddy continued. "Did you get taller?"

"That's what I said," Sacagawea told him.

"Um, I don't know. Maybe?"

"Seems like just yesterday you were a young boy. Time flies, hmm?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Mr. Roosevelt," called a new voice. He turned to see Doctor McPhee approaching. "Would you mind watching the door for a bit and making sure everyone returns alright? I need to have a word with Nick in my office."

Nick's eyes widened. _What's going on?_

"Gladly," the president said.

Nick handed him the list, confused, and followed the man to his office. McPhee closed the door behind them, and Nick slowly sat in the chair across from his desk. "Is, um, something wrong?" he asked as the man got to his own chair.

"Actually, yes. I have been here day and night so long that I'm starting to forget where I live. I need someone to take over the night shift, urgently. So, I'll be frank: Do you want the job?"

"...Wait, what?" Nick was sure he'd misheard. "You, you...want me to be the new night guard?"

"I'm not sure how much clearer I can make this. Your father recommended you. Pays eleven-fifty an hour, full time. You'd start tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

"Like I said, I need to get someone new in here and since you watched your father do this for so long, plus kept the big secret…" McPhee shrugged, impatiently. "Yes or no?"

Nick's mouth was hanging open. His mind was racing. After a second, he finally remembered how to speak. "...Yeah! I, I'd love to, I mean-"

"Great, fill these out." McPhee handed him a few papers and a pen. "And just so we're clear, just because you're Larry's son and the exhibits like you doesn't mean you get to goof off, alright? No showing up late, no not showing up at all, because that can't happen here. Everyone has to be in their places at sunrise. No one gets stuck outside. Am I clear?"

Nick nodded quickly. "Totally. Won't happen, you don't have to worry."

"Don't give me a reason to." They shook hands and Nick began filling out the papers. Part of him still couldn't believe he was getting the chance to guard the museum. Once it was all through and McPhee handed him his official uniform, Nick walked back out into the museum in a daze.

"What did Doctor McPhee want?" Sacagawea asked, snapping him back into reality. She and Teddy were still watching the front door.

"Umm, well believe it or not..." He held the clothes up. "You guys are gonna be seeing me more."

"Wonderful!" Teddy shouted with a large smile under his moustache. "You'll do great, I'm sure of it! Everyone already loves you!"

"They'll all be very happy to hear the news," Sacagawea agreed.

Nick opened his mouth but was cut off as another one of the doors opened. Larry held it for Queen Shepseheret and Merenkahre as they walked in. "I think someone _else _will be glad, too," Teddy told him.

Nick sighed as he started to walk over to his father, who was telling the Egyptian parents where they could find their children. Once they began to walk away, Nick shifted uncomfortably. "...Hi."

"Hey," Larry began. "Did um...everyone make it back okay?"

"Uh, yeah, from what I saw. Teddy and Wea are making sure we didn't miss anyone."

"Good, good."

"Yeah." He cleared his throat and his eyes automatically went to the floor. "So, um...Look, about the other day, I shouldn't have walked out like that. It was...really immature and kinda stupid. You were right to be upset about the job and the bike and everything. I messed up. I'm..." He forced himself to look at his dad. "I'm really sorry."

Larry stuck his hands in his pockets. "I'm sorry, too. I came down too hard. I mean, yeah, you didn't make great decisions, but...you're still figuring out this whole 'independent adult' thing. You're gonna make mistakes. I just...I just get upset because I know you're a great kid and you can do a lot when you put your mind to it. That's why it's hard for me when you make those mistakes sometimes, but I get it. And I'm here to help you when you do eventually mess up, okay?"

A weight lifted off his shoulders as Nick smiled. "A'right, Dad. Oh! Hey, thanks for telling McPhee to give me a shot here. I just made it official and everything."

"Well, I figured since you basically grew up here, you would be able to handle it." Larry grinned. "But um, you should know there might be a few new additions."

Nick arched a brow. "What, you mean like, new exhibits?"

"Yeah, I was talkin' to McPhee and I thought it would be nice for Ahk if Lancelot got transferred here permanently. But then you can't have Lance without Trixie, so now he's gotta get her too...and also a certain ancient Egyptian in a giant hat."

"...We're talking about some _other _Egyptian in a giant hat, right?" Larry shook his head. "Okay, wow, umm...I mean, you don't think that's gonna cause...problems, do you?"

"We talked about it and since he's kinda on our turf, I don't think he's gonna be an issue. Plus, you saw what happened back there."

"Oh, you mean that thing he told us not to talk about?"

"Yeah, that."

"Got it. Okay, well sounds like I'm in for a fun night tomorrow. At least Trixie won't get here for a while."

"You'll get the hang of it. If I can do it, so can you. Night guarding wasn't always easy, but it was worth it. If I didn't have a job I really liked, I'd come back in a second."

Nick's eyes got bigger as the thought grew. "I mean, you could come visit when you have time. You snuck me in all the time. I don't think McPhee would care if you came to hang out once in a while."

"Yeah? You're gonna break the rules and let someone in after closing?"

"Well, only if you have all your homework done. Grades come first, Dad." Larry laughed at that one. "Really, though, why not come back tomorrow?"

"...I mean, I guess I can take a few hours tomorrow night. Watch you try to handle all this for the first time, make sure Ahk's alright, keep an eye on Kahmunrah...speaking of which, I should go find him. I don't think anyone has run this whole 'move in with your brother' thing past him yet."

"Yeah, that might be a good idea."

* * *

Kahmunrah was leaning against the wall outside the Egyptian Exhibit. Lancelot had placed Ahkmenrah into his sarcophagus once they'd arrived. Seeing him lying there, unresponsive, was just uncomfortable, so he'd decided to wait outside the room for his parents. He'd been thinking about the night's events and ignoring anyone who passed by.

The sound of sandals slapping against the tile floor made him look up. His mother was running up to him, looking panicked. He straightened and saw his father was in tow. "Ahkmenrah is fine," he began, trying to calm her. "He's just asleep in his-" His mother suddenly grabbed his face, squishing his cheeks.

"Are you okay?!" she practically shouted. "What did that lunatic do to you? I told your father he shouldn't have let you leave!" A smile came to her face out of the blue. "But you _did it!_ You helped stop Zalaam and rescue your brother! Oh, I'm so proud of you, Kahmun!" She started pinching one of his cheeks and Kahmunrah was _extremely _thankful that no one was around to witness the action. After a minute, she finally put her hands down. "Mr. Daley told us what happened on the way here. Thank Ra you are both alright!"

"Yes, and now we never have to worry about Zalaam returning," Merenkahre added.

"Speaking of Zalaam," Kahmunrah began, rubbing his face. "I assume you have no _other _magical rivals who could possibly come back to exact their revenge?"

"Oh, of course not," the Queen said, sweetly. Apparently, she was too happy to catch his sarcasm. "I'm just so relieved that you and your brother are okay! I only wish we could be here when Ahkmen wakes. We've got to return to our own museum before that poor night watchmen girl gets in trouble. But I am at least going to go check on him whether he is awake or not," his mother decided. She walked into the Egyptian Exhibit, leaving only his father in front of him.

Kahmunrah cleared his throat and held out the borrowed khopesh. Merenkahre looked at it for a moment before taking it and replacing it back on his side. "Mr. Daley said you were a great help to them."

"Did he?"

"You gathered this museum together and helped save your brother." Merenkahre looked away for a moment and Kahmunrah expected that to be the end of it. "... You did well."

He put a hand on Kahmunrah's shoulder before going to join his wife in Ahkmenrah's room. Kahmunrah was left alone in the hall once again, his father's words hanging in the air. For a moment, all was quiet. There were no loud exhibits walking down the halls, no thunderous stomping of the tyrannosaurus rex. Silence. Peace, both internally and externally.

"Hey, Kahmunrah."

Larry Daley approached him and the moment of quiet died.

"Um...so it looks like everything's wrapping up here," the man began. "Ahk should wake up tomorrow, your parents need to get back to Britain-"

"What of the Mirror?" the Egyptian interjected.

"We're having that sent to the federal archives under the Smithsonian." The man suddenly got an uncertain expression and Kahmunrah's suspicions were raised.

"While we're on the topic of the Smithsonian," he began. "I'm assuming you aren't planning on sending me back into the Underworld?"

"What? Oh, no, actually...I mean that's kinda up to you."

Kahmunrah raised a brow. "You're asking me if I _want_ to return to the Underworld?"

Larry waved his hands. "No, no, this is coming out wrong." He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Okay, look, just...Do you wanna stay here with Ahk or would you rather go back to Washington?"

Kahmunrah did a double take. "I'm sorry? Did you just ask if I wanted to live here?"

"I mean, lately it seems like you're cool with Ahk now and you did help us out, so...yeah, that's what I'm asking. But like, if I'm wrong and you'd honestly rather go back to not coming to life just to get away from him, that's fine, too. Ahk's room has space for someone else, we could get another sarcophagus...your decision."

Kahmunrah arched an eyebrow, not exactly certain how to respond.

* * *

The first thing he noticed was his breathing. Or rather the fact that he seemed to be the one in control of it again. Ahkmenrah's eyes snapped open in shock but all he could see was darkness. He jolted up and was surprised when he hit his head. Groaning, he lay back down and placed a hand on his forehead. A small stream of light was coming in now and Ahkmenrah realized just where he was. He stretched his hand out and felt the cool lid of his sarcophagus. _I'm back in the museum. _A weight lifted off of him. He was home. _Zalaam must have lost. It's finally over._

He moved the lid until it hit the floor and sat up. His eyes widened as he took in the scene. His room was huge! The hieroglyphics on the walls had been repainted and added to. It was at least twice the size it had been! The Tablet was in its usual place, glowing with energy. _When did they do all of this? Osiris, how long was I asleep?!_

He stepped out of the sarcophagus just as the Jackal guards pointed their spears at a familiar face. Doctor McPhee held up his hands defensively and backed up a bit. _"No, no, let him pass!" _Ahkmenrah said in his native tongue. _"He is no threat." _Obediently, they lowered their weapons and the man walked into the room.

"Thank you for that," he said. "Glad to see you up and on your feet! How are you feeling?"

"I..." He paused for a moment to double check. His wrists were healed, as if they had never been bound to begin with. "I feel fine. Like nothing happened."

"That Tablet of your works wonders. Thank goodness you're okay, the museum would have gone nuts if you hadn't woken up soon."

"Doctor McPhee, how long was I asleep for?"

"Oh, not long," he assured. "Apparently, you passed out after you got that Zalaam out of you yesterday."

"Yesterday," he repeated. "And Zalaam is gone? No one was hurt?"

"He's in that Mirror thing and everyone is just fine. By the way, what do you think?" He gestured around the room.

"It's wonderful! I can't thank you enough. Surely, there's something I can-"

"Don't even start." McPhee smiled. "You just went through Hell, not to mention all the help you give around here. You deserve it." Ahk grinned, knowing he shouldn't argue with him. "Oh," McPhee began. "I'm sorry to say your family had to return to their museum already."

"...I see." The smile disappeared for a moment. He'd wanted to tell his parents he was alright. And Kahmunrah...well, he'd at least wanted to say goodbye after everything that had happened.

"Although," McPhee brightened. "Now that we know your Tablet can work through the phone lines, any time you miss them, you can just ask our new night guard to help you with the phone and give them a ring."

"Thank you, Doctor, that would...new night guard? You found someone?"

"Oh." The man smiled. "I think you'll like him. Actually, I should be off. Just wanted to drop something at the Hall of Miniatures and make sure you woke up. I'll pop by every now and again though, just to make sure the place hasn't burned down."

"Well then, it's been a pleasure, Doctor."

"The feeling is mutual, Pharaoh." The two shook hands and departed the Egyptian Exhibit. Ahk was anxious to find his friends. He didn't have to look far at all before he heard the familiar sound of Texas's hooves.

"Ahkmenrah!" Teddy dismounted quickly and before he knew it, the young man found himself being crushed in the President's hug. "Thank goodness you're alright! You are alright, aren't you?" He finally released him.

"I'm fine, I assure you."

"Thank God. You scared us, son. Everyone's going to be so glad to see you. And hey, a lot's changed in just one night!"  
"Yes, I heard from Doctor McPhee that we have a new night guard. Have you met them yet?"

Teddy gave him a confused look. "You don't...know who it is?" The Egyptian shook his head and Teddy got a sneaky smile under his mustache. "Well, then we should go find him!" He wrapped an arm around him and guided his horse with the other hand. "I think you'll be happy." _Everyone keeps saying that, _he realized. "That's not all that's changed. Did McPhee tell you that Lancelot is remaining here?"

His eyes widened. "Lance is here? Permanently?" The man nodded. "That's great!...Wait, what about Trixie?"

"She's on her way," Teddy explained. "Which might be a bit hard to handle at first, but at least she might keep your brother in place, hmm?"

Ahkmenrah stopped dead in his tracks, causing Teddy to do the same. "...Brother?" he repeated breathlessly. "You, you mean Kahmunrah is _here?_"

"Well, yes. Doctor McPhee didn't tell you that, either?"

"No, he said my family had already left! I assumed he meant all of it."

"Your parents had to return, yes, but Kahmunrah decided to stay here."

_He wanted to stay, _Ahk thought. He couldn't believe it. It was as if he was in a dream. He wondered if he should ask Teddy to pinch him. "You haven't seen him, have you?"

"No, not yet. I assume he came up from the basement, though. We're working on getting his sarcophagus. You'll have to make space in your new room." He laughed. "Why don't we find our new night guard and see if he's seen him, hmm?"

**A/N: **Only one more chapter to go! :( I'm going to miss this story so much. But the last chapter will be a bit longer as well! Thank you all so much for sticking with me and for giving so much support. You guys are amazing. Pleas stay well and be safe.


	27. Chapter 27

Larry walked up the steps to the Museum of Natural History and stopped at the doors. He took his phone out and texted Nick, quickly. Within a few minutes, he saw his son walking over. He stood straight and the sight of him in the guard uniform put a giant smile on Larry's face. The door opened and Nick held it as he stepped inside.

"Sorry I'm a lil' late," he said. "Traffic sucks even at night."

"No, it's fine. I wanted to go lock up the Hall of African Mammals first anyway. The lions still make me a little nervous."

"Did you get a chance to check on Ahk?"

"I went over there, but by the time I did, the sarcophagus was already open. So, I guess the Tablet did its thing and he's walking around here somewhere."

Larry relaxed a bit. "Ready for your first night?"

"Heck yeah! I saw you do this all the time. I got this. Oh, and um, just so you know, I took the bus here. I put the bike on Craigslist. Someone's comin' by tomorrow and I think they're gonna buy it. I'll basically break even."

"Really? Hey, that's great. How did Alexa take it?"

"Oh." Nick's eyes went to the floor. "We kinda...broke up."

Larry's eyes widened and he regretted asking. "Wait, really? Wow, I'm sorry. Are you...okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. I was the one who did it, actually. I called her earlier and said I got this job, and she said that it was 'bad for my image' and...yeah, I just kinda realized that she wanted a doormat, not a relationship. You know?"

"Well, still, I'm sorry it didn't work out. But hey, I'm sure you'll find someone else. You got my looks."

Feeling the need to lighten the mood, he reached into his back pocket. "I um, brought you something. I know McPhee probably gave you a new one, but..." He held out the old flashlight he'd kept after quitting the job years ago. "I figured it was time to pass the torch." He smiled. "Get it? 'Cause in like Britain, they call flashlights 'torches' so I'm literally passing the...okay, just take it."

Nick reached out slowly and took the flashlight, twirling it in his hands. "Wow. This is...wow. Thanks, Dad, this…" He looked up and met his eyes. "This means a lot."

"You earned it. Besides, you might need it. It's your best defense against angry Egyptians."

That got a laugh. "Yeah, speakin' of Kahmunrah, I haven't seen him yet."

"He's probably around here somewhere. You'll probably bump into him someti-"

"_Nicky?"_

Larry looked over and was relieved to see Ahkmenrah approaching with Teddy and Texas close behind. "_You're _the new guard?"

"Told you you'd be happy." Teddy smiled.

Larry stood back as the young Egyptian came over to hug his son. It was strange that Nick was basically Ahkmenrah's height now. Years ago, he was half that size. "Osiris, it's been ages!"

"Well you'll be seeing me a lot more now," Nick told him. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine. It's like it never even happened. Ra, my room has been redone, Lancelot and my brother moved in, you're the night guard. Is there anything else I should know?"

"About Kahmunrah, has anyone seen him?" Teddy asked.

"Not yet," Nick told him. "I just went to lock up the Mammals and came here. When I see him, though, I'll let him know you're looking for him."

"Thank you," Ahk told him. "I'll see if I can find him. But we must catch up sometime tonight, Nicky!"

"Totally! I just gotta make my rounds around here."

"I'm sure everyone will be very glad that you've got this job."

"Oh, yeah! You should've seen Dexter. He climbed all over me and gave me a hug!"

"Really?" Ahk asked.

"Really?" Larry repeated. He had a feeling he knew what that meant.

"Yeah! I guess he missed me."

"Check your pockets."

"What?"

"Just check."

Nick's hands dug into his pants pockets. "There's nothing." Larry smirked. His son's eyes grew as big as sand dollars. "Crap!" He took off like a rocket down the hall. "_Dexter, when I get my wallet back, I swear!"_

Larry couldn't fight his laughter.

"Like father like son, hmm, Lawrence?" Teddy asked. The look in the man's eyes read, "_I told you he'd turn out okay. I'm always right."_

And he was. Larry was confident that Nick would keep growing into a strong, intelligent man. There wasn't a doubt in his mind.

* * *

Once he and Octavius had climbed down to the floor, Jedediah couldn't believe his eyes. His small, remote control car was waiting for him with a green Post-It next to it. In swirly, neat handwriting, it read: Returned early for helping save Pharaoh Ahkmenrah and not dying in Egypt. Please try to be careful.

\- Doctor McPhee

"Well, straighten my hair an' call me Clara," Jed marveled.

"That certainly was nice of him," Octavius said. "Where do you want to go? Shall we see if Nicky needs any help on his first night?"

Jed adjusted his hat and a smile came to his lips. "You ferget our deal, Octy?" He could tell by the Roman's confused face that, yes, he had. "We agreed that if you let us tag along ta Egypt, I'd show you how to drive."

The bright look on the man's face gave Jed a warm feeling. He climbed into the passenger side and waited for Octavius to remove his helmet and get situated. "A'right now just put her in drive and start pushin' the gas."

"Don't you need to go over basic safety?...Well, maybe you are the wrong person to ask about that."

"Very funny, now just ease on the gas." The car engine came to life and they started to move. "There ya go! Now just go at yer own pace, just feel it out." He put his arms behind his head and leaned back. They traveled down the hall and made their way out into the open.

Jed said almost nothing, just let Octavius get a feel for driving. He looked out the window but every so often he glanced at the speedometer. He bit his tongue. Finally, after what felt like forever, he couldn't take it anymore. "Hey, Octy? Yer doin' great, but um, ya know you can go a lil' quicker than," he looked at the speedometer again, "four miles an hour."

"I don't want to run into anything," he defended. "We just got this back, and I don't want to break something. Then Nicky would get in trouble on his first night!"

"Octavius, if you ran into something at this speed, ya wouldn't even bust a headlight. Ya can pick it up a-" Jed stopped as he saw who they were approaching. "Well, look who it is! Here, pull over fer a sec."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Octavius told him. They started to pass him up.

"Aw, c'mon, he lives here now. We gotta make peace 'er whatever."

The Roman sighed and stopped the car before backing up. "Why can't I ever say no to you?"

"Because you love me," the cowboy teased.

Jed rolled down his window and looked up at the Egyptian "Hey, Kahmunrah! Ya seen yer brother yet?"

The Egyptian lowered himself to the floor. "No, I have not. By the time I got to his room, he'd already run off somewhere."

"Well if we see 'em, we'll let ya know, a'right? Man, I still can't believe you live here. Guess we're neighbors now!"

"Excuse me while I jump with joy." Jed saw him roll his eyes and knew he should cut the small talk. "Well, we'll be seein' ya then. Hope ya find Ahk soon!"

Octavius hit the gas and Jed was tossed around in his seat as they hit a giant bump. The Roman had forgotten to put the car back in drive and they'd backed up over something. Jed paled as he saw that Kahmunrah was now standing on one foot, clutching his other one, which looked a little red. _Aw, Hell._

"Tell me I didn't," Octavius said.

Jed forced a smile and looked back at the angered Egyptian. "Sorry ' bout that. Student drivers, ya know? See ya 'round, neighbor!" He turned his head so quickly, his neck cracked. "Drive like there's a fire behind us, go, go!"

Octavius fixed the gear shift and they raced away, not daring to look back.

* * *

Kahmunrah massaged his foot and glared as the small, black car rocketed away. For a moment, he thought about going after the miniatures, but decided against it. He sighed and started to walk back down the hallway. The museum was fairly quiet, apart from the music. He kept a wary eye out for the Huns, not wanting a repeat of the previous night. Traveling down the long halls, he encountered a few other exhibits, but no words were exchanged. He was very okay with that. It was nice to simply explore his surroundings without interruption. He could think clearly and sort out the events of the past few days.

"There you are!"

Kahmunrah cringed as Lancelot joined him at his side. The silence was clearly over with. _I thought I'd ditched him once we got out of that basement. _ "I was wondering where you went. I thought we could find Ahkmenrah and make sure he's okay. Maybe he could even show us around the museum, if he feels alright. I mean, I've been here before, but I'm sure some things must have changed since then."

_That may be the most accurate thing you've ever said, _Kahmunrah thought. "Well, I'm not sure where Ahkmenrah is. Perhaps you should go look for him."

"We'll have an even better shot with two people looking for him," the knight said, cheerfully. "I'm sure he's going to want to speak with you after what you said to him yesterd-"

Kahmunrah covered the man's mouth as quickly as a viper. "What did I tell you? We are not going to mention what I said. _Ever._ It's like it never even happened."

His armor-covered hand removed Kahmunrah's. "But it _did _happen."

"Yes, but no one else needs to _know _that. Alright?"

"Goodness, it's like you don't want people to know that you can actually be a decent person. You're so secretive!" They began to walk down the hall once more. "I mean, we live together now, and I barely know anything about you. What's your favorite color?"

"Whichever one will end this conversation."

Lancelot changed the topic instead. "This museum isn't as big as the one in Britain. I certainly hope Trixie doesn't break anything when she arrives."

The color drained from the Egyptian's face. "The _other _dinosaur is coming?"

"Oh, don't worry, I'll protect you from her." The knight laughed and Kahmunrah wished he was invisible. "She's sweet once she gets used to you. You might even like her!"

"Oh, I doubt that very much," Kahmunrah said sourly.

"You're really not big on animals, are you?"

_You really can't tell when someone wants to be left alone, can you?_

The conversation was cut short as the sound of quick, small footsteps approached. Before he could turn around, small, furry hands grabbed onto his tunic and started to climb allowing him nothing more than a grimace. Dexter was suddenly sitting on his shoulder, looking proud.

"I stand corrected." Lancelot smiled. "You're already making friends!"

Kahmunrah glared at the grinning animal. "What did I tell you? Just because Ahkmenrah lets you do this, doesn't mean I will! What, am I just the default until you find him?" He paused for a moment as he noted the small object Dexter was clutching. "What do you have?" He took the strange item and started to study it. It was a small, leather bound square. _What is this for? Why is the modern world so confusing? _

"Dexter!"

He turned around and saw a young man rounding the corner who he recalled as Larry Daley's son. _What was his name again? _The boy skidded to a stop before him. "...Kahmunrah."

"...Smaller Daley."

"...I mean, most people just say 'Nick', but...okay. Hey, Lance."

"Hello, Nick," the knight greeted.

Kahmunrah looked at the small leather object in his hand and held it out. "I have a feeling this belongs to you. Your capuchin seems to be quite the kleptomaniac."

Nick took a cautious step towards him, as if he thought Kahmunrah might bite him. He smirked at the reaction as the young man took the foreign thing back.

"Um, thanks. Yeah, he's got that habit." He shifted a bit and cleared his throat. To Kahmunrah's surprise, the boy looked at him again and confidently said in _perfect _Arabic, "_The garlic people ate my sister."_

_...What? _The Egyptian arched a brow and wondered if maybe he'd misheard. "I'm...sorry to hear that?"

"Huh?" Now Nick seemed just as lost.

"Where did you pick that...particular phrase up from?"

"Ahk taught me that."

_Ahkmenrah? _This was getting even more confusing the more it went on. "And did he tell you what it meant?"

"It's how you say, 'How is your night?'...isn't it?"

It all clicked in his head. "I promise you that's not what you just said."

"What did he tell you?" the knight interjected.

"He's just told me that his sister has just fallen victim to an attack by some 'garlic people'."

"What? Those don't even exist." Lancelot laughed.

"Wait, what?" Nick asked. "You're kidding."

"For once, actually, I believe I'm being more truthful than my brother. I think you've fallen for one of Ahkmenrah's little jokes, Smaller Daley."

He watched the boy's eyes widen with realization. "I swear to God, Ahk. He would _totally _do that, too!"

"You are in your father's uniform," Lancelot noticed.

"What? Oh, yeah, um, I'm like...the nightguard now."

_Oh, wonderful,_ Kahmunrah thought. _At least this Daley is gullible. _

"Really?" The knight smiled. "Well, this should be fun, then. Hey, maybe Kahmunrah could teach you how to speak his language." _Oh, Ra, don't drag me into this. _"I mean, since you've got an interest and - _Ahkmenrah!" _

Without warning, Lancelot ran passed Nick. Dexter jumped off Kahmunrah's shoulder and followed, quickly, chattering happily. Kahmunrah watched as Lancelot wrapped his arms around his brother and lifted him up. "Thank Ram you are okay!" he shouted.

"It's _Ra, _you -" Kahmunrah held back the insult and approached them. Teddy was behind them with a horse, watching happily.

"I was wondering where you two were!" Ahkmenrah laughed, having been released from the knight's grasp. "I've been looking for you! Didn't Nicky tell you?"

"Oh, crap." Nick turned to Kahmunrah. "Ahk's looking for you."

The older Egyptian took a deep breath. "...Thank you."

"Oh, by the way," Nick glared at the younger Egyptian. "'The garlic people ate my sister'?!"

Ahkmenrah looked confused before bursting with laughter. "Who told you?"

"That would be me," Kahmunrah admitted. "I was very concerned for his sister."

"What does that even _mean?" _Nick asked.

"It was just a joke!" Ahkmenrah explained, still recovering from laughing so hard. "When you said you wanted to learn some Arabic, I thought it would be funny. There was no harm in it, I mean, who else would you say that to? I was going to tell you, really, I was. Oh, but it was so funny, how you always came up to me and said it. I figured once it stopped being so hysterical, I would tell you...it just never stopped!" he defended.

Nick opened his mouth, but Lancelot beat him to it. "Ahkmenrah?" he asked. "Did Zalaam...steal your sandals?"

"What?" Kahmunrah looked to the floor and saw that his brother was, in fact, barefoot. _You've got to be kidding me. Will he never outgrow this? _"Ahkmenrah," he began. "Where are your shoes?"

The younger Egyptian looked at the floor and started to rub the back of his neck. "I must have left them in, um...Egypt. After the temple incident."

Kahmunrah's face blanked. "...Egypt." He repeated. "You left your sandals...in another continent."

"It would seem so."

He took a moment to process this. Kahmunrah looked away for a moment and placed a hand over his mouth. For years, Ahkmenrah's constantly lost sandals had driven him mad, and yet for some reason, he could not fight the smile on his face. It was too ridiculous to be mad over.

"Actually," Teddy began, "I think I saw Lawrence slip them into his backpack before we left the Nile. Sir Lancelot, Nicholas, why don't we go see if we can find out what he did with them?"

"What?" the knight asked. "Shouldn't Ahkmenrah come with us?"

"That's not necessary. We can bring them to him."

"But..._oooh._ Right. Come along, Nick, let's go find Ahkmenrah's sandals."

"Right behind you."

Kahmunrah watched in surprise as the three of them left the room without another word. It was very clear what they were doing. He looked over to his brother, unsure of just what to do. Dexter looked him in the eyes and then back at Ahkmenrah before also taking off down the hall. _The _one time _I wish you would stick around, _he thought.

Now they were alone. Everything was silent, save for the music that still played downstairs.

_Well,_ he thought, _this is awkward. _His mind was telling him to say something, and yet, he couldn't figure out _what. _Kahmunrah wasn't exactly good with small talk, and that was under normal circumstances. This was...foreign. It was as if he was back in the crumbling temple in Egypt: trying to take a step forward, but unsure if the floor might fall out from under him if he did.

"So," Ahkmenrah started. Kahmunrah was thankful that silence had finally ended. "I fall asleep for a while and you move in?"

"Well, it was this or rotting in those archives," Kahmunrah told him. "This sounded like the better option."

"We'll have to get you and Lance out of that basement, though. It's not very pleasant."

"It is a bit of a step down from an Egyptian palace."

"A step up from Egyptian Underworld, though."

"...I suppose you have a point there."

Ahkmenrah laughed at that. It had been a while since he'd witnessed his brother do that. "I think you'll find that you like it here. Though, you may want to stay out of Atilla's way for a while," he cautioned. "If you want, I could teach you Mongolian. That way you won't have any, umm...miscommunications."

Now it was his turn to laugh, though his was much less sincere. "You think I'd let you teach me a language after the 'garlic people'? I don't think so."

Ahkmenrah smirked. "Oh, come on, I wouldn't do that to _you."_

"So, you're saying you _wouldn't _enjoy watching me walk up to the leader of the Huns and saying, oh, I don't know, 'My head is made of cheese'?"

"Well, now you are just giving me ideas." More of Ahkmenrah's laughter.

Then the silence befell them again. He saw Ahkmenrah start to shuffle his bare foot slightly. Kahmunrah noticed the song in the background had turned into something with a fast beat to it. Music had changed a lot since he'd been alive. Many things had changed since then.

"Did I...that is..." Ahkmenrah's voice was quieter now. Kahmunrah noticed he was now looking at the floor. "I could hear what Zalaam was doing while I was...not in control, did I...did I hurt anyo-"

"No," Kahmunrah said, firmly, causing Ahkmenrah to look up again. "You didn't do anything."

"I heard people screaming."

"But _you _didn't do it. You just said it yourself, you were not the one in control, that madman was. _You _were the one who stopped him, remember?"

Ahkmenrah's eyes met his again and he slowly nodded in agreement. After a moment, he asked, "What happened to the Mirror?"

"Mr. Daley didn't tell you? It's being sent to the archives where it can gather dust."

Ahkmenrah took that information in. Kahmunrah quickly tried to think of a way to change the subject. "Oh, by the way," he began. Ahkmenrah focused on him again. "Before Mother and Father had to leave, Mother said that...how did she phrase it? Something about since the Tablet works through...Ra, what was the word? 'Telephones?'" The odd word felt strange on his tongue. "She said you and I should call them once in a while. I'm assuming you know what that means?"

Ahkmenrah's smile returned and he snickered. "Brother, technology today will both astound and confuse you."

"Then I shall do my best to avoid it."

The laughter was back. His brother seemed to have brightened again. "Care to explore the museum with me?"

"Lead the way," he answered, "as long as those two miniatures don't try to break my toes again."

"Oh, Jedediah is _reckless _with that thing."

"He wasn't the one operating it. The Roman was."

"Oh? That's new."

They began to walk down the hall, the sandals long forgotten. "It's insane how much has changed in just a few days," Ahkmenrah said.

"Yes", Kahmunrah said, more to himself, "it is."

Ahkemnrah grinned as he started explaining some of the exhibits to him. Kahmunrah did his best to focus on what he was saying, but struggled to do so. Ahkmenrah hadn't been exaggerating. So many things were different now. Less than a week ago, he'd been trapped in the Underworld and was now walking with his brother at his side. It was strange.

And yet, as he watched Ahkmenrah's eyes light up as he spoke, he found that it was not exactly unpleasant. Granted, he wasn't exactly _thrilled _at the idea of living with two enormous dinosaurs or having to watch Larry Daley's son parade about with a flashlight. But as they walked down the halls together, his mind traveled back to the banks of the Nile, and something occurred to him: Perhaps his brother had been right.

Perhaps change could be good.

**A/N: **...wow...that's the end.

A little over a year of posting this fanfiction.

I love this story so much. It was so much fun to do and I think it's one of the best things I've written thus far. I'm so glad you all enjoyed it so much, and thank you again for all of the support throughout this story, you have no idea how happy it made me.

Oh. And no. This will not be the only time I write Night at the Museum. Not if I have anything to say about it. (But it will be a bit before I post another story about it. My next work, when it's done, is a fandom that rhymes with Shlabyrinth.)

**THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!**


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